Celtic star must heed advice from Rangers hero and seal West Brom deal: View | OneFootball

Celtic's Mikey Johnston could be on his way out of Celtic Park this summer after a successful loan spell at West Bromwich Albion in the second half of the 2023-24 season.

The forward joined the Baggies on loan in January, after falling out of favour at Parkhead, joining Albion on a deal until the end of the season - and that could become a permanent one if the 24-year-old continues to impress at The Hawthorns.

The Republic of Ireland international came through the Celtic academy, debuting for the first-team at the age of 18 before signing a long-term deal soon after.

Despite appearing 92 times for the Hoops, Johnston has struggled to find a starting berth in the side in recent times, and with his impressive stint at Albion not exactly going under the radar, there could be plenty of interest in the close season.

Kenny Miller thinks Mikey Johnston should push for Celtic exit this summer

One man who thinks Johnston needs to leave Celtic to take his career to the next level is Kenny Miller.

The ex-Cardiff City and Rangers forward - who also played for Celtic but is more remembered for his time at Ibrox - told Football Scotland that he thinks a move away is the best thing for Johnston this summer.

“I get the feeling Mikey has needed this move, and to be honest, it feels like a loan move with his future in mind," Miller said.

"I don't think it's a case of him playing to prove himself capable of getting into Celtic's first-team. I'm not sure what his contract situation looks like, but if Mikey Johnston wants to take his career on a level, I think he's got to do it away from Celtic."

“I think he probably would've preferred a permanent move in January, but this stint he's got at West Brom is a great opportunity for him to either prove himself and seal a permanent move to West Brom, or at least put himself in the shop window at that level."

West Brom should be looking at permanent Mikey Johnston solution

There is every chance that West Brom will be making a move for Johnston in the summer, given his performances so far for the club.

He has been among the top wingers in the league for goals per 90 minutes since his January move, while also providing an extra dimension with his impressive dribbling ability.

The club have only lost once in the league since he joined, showing the impact Johnston has had on the side. His exploits have helped the team into fifth place, and look good for a top six finish in the Championship.

While he has impressed since joining the club, his injury worries over the past few years have to be considered.

He played less than 100 matches for Celtic during his time at the club. This was due to a combination of injuries and simply being out of favour under the numerous managers the club had during his stint there.

Johnston has missed nearly two years and 78 matches due to fitness problems, which is a worrying statistic considering he is just 24 years of age. The Baggies will need to take this into account before stumping up a fee to sign the Irish forward in the summer.

They can take solace in the fact that he has so far avoided injuries since joining the club. Johnston has played every match since his deadline day move to the Hawthorns, with most of them being starts.

This included a run of six goals and one assist in seven matches between February and March, and he added to that tally with a goal against Stoke City this weekend, which will be an encouraging thing to consider when West Brom decide whether or not to try and make his move permanent.