Flamengo shake up the wings with surprise £5m move | OneFootball

Flamengo are preparing for a summer of changes, with the imminent signing of Mikey Johnston from West Bromwich Albion signalling possible departures on the flanks, according to Lance. The 26-year-old Irish winger is set to cost the club around £5 million (approximately R$37 million), and his arrival has already been approved by both Flamengo’s technical staff and football directors.

Johnston, who is primarily a left-sided attacker but can operate on either wing, scored four goals in 20 appearances for West Brom in the English Championship last season. He has also registered three goals in 11 international matches with the Republic of Ireland—his versatility is seen as a key asset for a Flamengo side seeking to refresh its attacking options.

The move comes at a time when the futures of two of Flamengo’s wide players, Michael and Everton Cebolinha, are uncertain. Michael, who wears the number 19 shirt, has attracted interest from Qatari club Al Duhail since before the Club World Cup. Meanwhile, Cebolinha has fallen out of favour under manager Filipe Luís and, although no formal offers have been received, Flamengo’s board is open to considering financially attractive proposals for either player.

Johnston’s signing is not Flamengo’s only planned reinforcement this window. Club executives are looking to further strengthen the squad with at least two more arrivals: another pacy winger and a creative central midfielder. The left and right wing positions will become even more competitive, joining a group that already includes Bruno Henrique, Luiz Araújo, and Gonzalo Plata.

Should both Michael and Cebolinha leave, Flamengo would have cleared space and resources for their new attacking recruits. The club’s leadership has admitted the possibility of departures if satisfactory offers are tabled, signalling their openness to recalibrating the wide attacking roles mid-season.

While the addition of Johnston promises to inject directness and unpredictability, Flamengo’s transfer activity is also being driven by a desire to adapt to the challenges they routinely face in the Brazilian league—where breaking down resolute defences often requires wingers with fast feet and creative vision.

The expectation is that Johnston’s transfer will be finalised in the coming days, setting the stage for further moves in and out of the club as Flamengo seek to reshape their squad for the second half of the season.

(Source: Lance)

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