Recent Mikey Johnston twist at West Brom should seriously excite Baggies fans | OneFootball

With Ryan Mason set to make Mikey Johnston a big part of his Albion plans, the Irishman could end up resurrecting his West Brom career.

West Brom supporters will be hopeful of seeing progress in Ryan Mason’s opening season at the club.

The former Tottenham Hotspur coach goes into his first full campaign in a managerial role at The Hawthorns, looking to use his experiences at Spurs to his advantage.

The 34-year-old has had to contend with Albion’s ongoing financial issues, with the club still working effectively to battle P&S concerns, something controlling shareholder Shilen Patel has mentioned in an open letter to the Albion faithful.

After recruiting Nat Phillips and Aune Heggebo so far this summer, the Baggies were expected to make a profit on the sale of Mikey Johnston, who was set to complete a £5 million move to Brazilian giants Flamengo.

However, the deal collapsed, and a latest twist in his West Brom future should fill Albion fans with excitement that he can get back to his best in the blue and white stripes.

Mikey Johnston’s latest twist in West Brom future

Following Mikey Johnston’s return to pre-season training at West Brom, Sky Sports have revealed that Ryan Mason plans for the Republic of Ireland international to be an important part of his team heading into the new 2025-26 season.

Mason recently praised Johnston for coming back to Albion in the “right headspace” following the developments in South America, as the player impressed in their pre-season friendly against Dynamo Kyiv.

The 26-year-old had a poor campaign last term as the Baggies failed to cement a place inside the top six. From 40 appearances, Johnston recorded just three goals and five assists, often cutting a frustrating figure for his inconsistent performances.

It was night and day comparing last season to his previous loan spell. Johnston would often run down cul-de-sacs on the left-hand side, and when he did get into the right positions, his end product would so often let him down, with his shooting accuracy standing at just 27%, while his crossing accuracy was a dismal 24.7%.

Johnston still does possess the attributes to be a quality second tier player though. We saw under Carlos Corberan that his electric pace and trickery, matched with confidence, can see him be a menace to opposition defenders, but he seems to have lost his way in the last year.

It will be up to Mason to see if he can rediscover that previous magic, and his progressive style as a coach could well see that happen.

Progressive Ryan Mason could resurrect Mikey Johnston

We’ve already seen early signs of what Ryan Mason wants to do with his Albion team from their pre-season match in Austria.

There was a real emphasis on the pressing aspect, with the Baggies looking energetic, eager to move the ball quickly and harass the opposition at any given moment.

Meanwhile, Mason opted to use Mikey Johnston on the right flank in the second half, instead of his usual placement on the left.

This yielded Albion’s goal of the game, as Johnston’s low cross was turned in at the near post by debutant Nat Phillips.

Johnston looked to have a new lease of life, buzzing around and using his sharpness to take on and skip past opposition defenders, with his cameo undoubtedly impressing the new boss.

Johnston’s calling could come on the right flank this upcoming term, and he could have a huge part to play on that side should Tom Fellows depart the club before the 1st September deadline.

With the early signs encouraging, Mason’s positive first impression to the West Brom squad could end up seeing Johnston return to the sensational form that saw him earn a permanent move to The Hawthorns last summer.

The Irishman’s relationship with the head coach appears to be blossoming, and this environment is what Albion fans have been craving for, as they know his ability and quality is still there.

His failed move to Flamengo could well have been destined to happen, and this setback may be able to unleash the winger and allow him to play a vital role in pushing for promotion back to the Premier League.

It will certainly be intriguing to see what the wideman can produce this season, with optimism growing that he can be one of the standout second tier performers for 2025-26 after having such an effective opening game.