CELTIC loan stars Mikey Johnston and Sead Haksabanovic are on a collision course next month.
The Republic of Ireland international winger is tearing up the English Championship with some eye-catching displays and goals since joining West Brom on a temporary transfer in January.
Johnston took centre stage again last night when he thumped in a breathtaking solo goal in his side’s 2-2 draw with Queens Park Rangers in London.
It was the Glaswegian’s fourth strike in eight appearances for the Midlands club as he has hit the ground running since leaving the champions.
ON THE RUN…Mikey Johnston shows his skills in the colours of West Brom.
However, Johnston’s success story is in direct contrast to that of his Hoops team-mate Haksabanovic who is in the Stoke City team toiling in the relegation zone in the second-tier.
Back in late August, the Sweden-born Montenegrin international flanker was swiftly on his way from Celtic after a badly-advised Instagram post that stated: “If they don’t see your value maybe you’re not at the right place.”
Brendan Rodgers reacted quickly in the wake of back-to-back disappointing results, a League Cup exit at Kilmarnock and a home scoreless stalemate against St Johnstone.
Haksabanovic, who had been brought to Glasgow the previous summer by Ange Postecoglou in a cut-price £1.7million switch from Rubin Kazan, had been overlooked for the opening two matches before making a 75th-minute substitute’s appearance at Rugby Park.
ON THE MOVE…Sead Haksabanovic holds his new Stoke City shirt after his loan switch in August.
A week later, the 24-year-old forward came off the bench on the hour mark in the dismal draw with the Perth club before taking to social media.
Four days after Haksabanovic’s words had been made public, he was on his way to Stoke on a season-long loan.
While Johnston’s West Brom are in fifth place in the league, Haksabanovic’s club are third from bottom with only 38 points from 36 games, ahead of Sheffield Wednesday on goal difference.
Rotherham United are rock-bottom on 19 points.
Johnston and Haksabanovic will come face to face in the battle for points when their clubs lock horns in the Midlands on Saturday April 6.
