Football is no stranger to odd transfers, at all levels of the game. In 2012, Champions League winner Edgar Davids joined Barnet who were sat bottom of League Two at the time. Former Real Madrid and Bayern Munich star James Rodriguez joined Everton who were managed by Carlo Ancelotti at the time, which was bizarre enough in itself.
Even now, following two seasons spent playing in France, Andy Carroll is linked with a move to Chelmsford City in the English sixth tier. Then we have Mikey Johnston of West Brom in the Championship.
His career so far
Coming up through the Celtic youth academy, Johnston would leave Celtic Park for the first time in 2022, joining Portuguese side Vitoria de Guimaraes on loan. After one goal and four assists in 25 league games, Johnston would return to Glasgow but would be loaned out once again in January of the next season. This time he would join West Bromwich Albion.
This would be where the Republic of Ireland international would really come into his own for the first time. Seven goals and two assists in 20 Championship games, as well as being named Player of the Month in March, would tempt the Baggies into paying around £3 million for Johnston’s services.
He would score three goals and provide five assists in 40 league games in the campaign just gone, which would lead to interest from one of the last places anyone would’ve expected. Brazil.
Flamengo
Brazilian side Flamengo, who recently competed in the FIFA Club World Cup, reportedly had an approach of £5 million accepted by West Brom of the Championship. However, the deal has collapsed, and several reasons have been cited for this. One of the most reported reasons has been Johnston’s injury record.
Across the 2019/20 and 2020/21 seasons, he would miss 86 games through injury, but since then he has remained relatively injury free. Some took this further, claiming that he had failed his medical. This has seemingly been disproved, with it believed that although he was due to travel to Brazil, he did not even get as far as leaving the UK.
Elsewhere, claims have been made that the sudden U-turn was due to a better option becoming available. Others claim that there were concerns over the number of non-Brazilian players at the club, as they are only allowed to field a maximum of nine foreign players in their matchday squad.
Reports have even come out stating that Flamengo’s President Luiz Eduardo Baptista intervened to cancel the deal, much to the shock of manager Filipe Luis.
One of the most persistent reasons rumoured for the deals collapse is backlash from Flamengo fans. Understandably, after finalising a deal for Jorginho earlier in the window and watching players such as Zico grace the field over the years, being linked to a player who was coming off the back of a disappointing season in the second tier of England, was disappointing. The fact that he was reportedly set to earn over £20,000 a week in Rio de Janeiro can’t have helped.
So now what?
Well, despite a disappointing first season in the West Midlands, the door is by no means closed on Johnstone’s Albion career, with him reportedly being spotted in pre-season training ahead of the new Championship season.
We will have to wait and see what new boss Ryan Mason makes of him. If a move away doesn’t materialise, Johnston will no doubt be hoping to recapture the form that he displayed during his loan spell at the Hawthorns.
This isn’t the first time a Brazilian side has had interest in a seemingly random Championship player. There was reportedly interest in Sheffield Wednesday’s Josh Windass from Santos not long ago, but they decided to re-sign Neymar instead.
