West Bromwich Albion have re-signed Celtic’s Mikey Johnston for an undisclosed seven-figure fee – and also re-signed defender Mason Holgate on loan from Premier League side Everton.
Holgate, 27, previously spent the second half of the 2018-19 season at The Hawthorns and was in the Albion side beaten by Aston Villa in the Championship play-off semi-finals.
He becomes the Baggies’ 11th arrival of the summer transfer window following winger Johnston’s signing earlier in the day.
Republic of Ireland international Johnston returns after spending a successful loan at Albion over the second half of last season.
He has now signed a four-year contract with the Baggies, reportedly for a £3m fee.
Johnston scored seven times for Albion in the spring, including one particularly hot run of six goals in seven matches – and the majority of them were spectacular.
Albion boss Carlos Corberan told BBC Radio WM that his mission to sign Johnston began after their play-off semi-final, second-leg loss at Southampton – but the club were in no financial position then to put in a realistic bid.
“I remember the words of Johnston telling me that, if for any reason Celtic decided not to keep him, that he loved Albion and that he was going to try his best to make his career in this amazing club and in life.
“Sometimes these things happen. At the same time he told me this, I was clear with him because I knew the reality. I said to him we all like him as a player but our financial situation didn’t allow us to invest at that time.”
Johnston suffered a facial injury in his one appearance for Celtic this season, as a late substitute against Hibernian on 11 August, which kept him out of international duty – and Corberan has said that, if he does make his debut against Swansea City on Saturday, he may have to play in a mask.
Prior to their deadline day signings, Albion had brought in goalkeeper Joe Wildsmith, defenders Torbjorn Heggem, Paddy McNair and Gianluca Fabrotta, midfielders Ousmane Diakite, Uros Racic and Callum Styles, winger Lewis Dobbin and striker Devante Cole over the summer.
Back in June, Albion chairman Shilen Patel said this summer’s transfer window would be an “opportunity” but also a “challenge” – a word Carlos Corberan has since reiterated after seeing 13 players depart from the squad defeated in the play-offs at Southampton in May.
However, it appears that the Baggies have taken that opportunity, with 11 signings – the most in a single transfer window by the club in a decade and all with their much-publicised limited resources too.
Huge credit for that must go to head of football operations Ian Pearce and his team for their work behind the scenes finding hidden gems, such as Torbjorn Heggem, who is already proving to be a cult hero.
The Norwegian’s deal was the first transfer fee spent during Corberan’s near two-year reign but it has now been dwarfed by the £3m spent on Mikey Johnston – and the late loan arrival of Mason Holgate.
The icing on the cake has been warding off interest, for now, in star youngster Tom Fellows. The club’s financial restrictions still remain but they have navigated this window smartly and following the team’s positive start to the Championship campaign, there’s a real sense of optimism back at The
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