West Brom can't commit to £6m Celtic deal if it affects other areas: View | OneFootball

West Brom may not be able to pursue a £6m deal for Celtic's Mikey Johnston, as other areas in the team should be a priority if funds are tight.

After suffering play-off heartbreak against Southampton in May, West Brom will be hoping to be in the mix for promotion once again next season.

Carlos Corberan has done an outstanding job at The Hawthorns since he was named as Steve Bruce’s successor in October 2022, building a consistent, reliable team by Championship standards - and without spending a single penny on a transfer fee.

That should change this summer though, with Shilen Patel having completed his takeover of Albion, ending the miserable reign of former owner Guochuan Lai.

West Brom will target Mikey Johnston reunion

However, it won’t be a case of the club now splashing the cash recklessly now the window is open, with Patel having already informed supporters that it will be a ‘challenge’ to ‘operate within the league’s financial rules’.

Therefore, the recruitment team will be tasked with identifying bargains, and that could present them with a problem when it comes to bringing Mikey Johnston back to The Hawthorns.

The Ireland international joined Albion on loan from Celtic in January, and it’s fair to say he flourished under the guidance of Corberan.

In 20 games, the winger managed seven goals, with several of those outstanding individual efforts that really highlighted his quality.

As well as that, Johnston was a constant threat and an outlet down the flank with how he carried the ball and relieved pressure with his pace on the counter.

Despite his performances in the Championship, it seems unlikely that Johnston will figure in Brendan Rodgers’ plans at Parkhead moving forward, so a summer switch is certainly a possibility.

But, it has been claimed that the Scottish champions will demand £6m for the 25-year-old, who still has two years to run on his contract in Glasgow.

That’s a fair price when you take into consideration Johnston’s age, ability and the fact he is proven in the second tier, but it could be problematic for Albion.

West Brom have several areas to address this summer

As outlined above, the club has to be mindful of the financial regulations in place, so they are going to have to prioritise certain signings.

And, with that in mind, it’s hard to make a case that £6m, which would be a big chunk of the budget, should go on a winger.

Firstly, Albion are going to need reinforcements in defence, as the influential Cedrik Kipre looks set to find a new club after his contract ran down. The ex-Motherwell man was a key figure in defence, and with Kyle Bartley yet to put pen to paper on an extension, they could be in the market for a few centre-back options.

Elsewhere, some fans will want a prolific number nine through the door, as Brandon Thomas-Asante lacks that clinical edge, and Daryl Dike’s dreadful luck with injuries means he can’t be relied on.

Meanwhile, in terms of wingers, the Baggies are well-stocked, with Jed Wallace, Grady Diangana and Tom Fellows three very good players at this level. Obviously, in an ideal world, they would add Johnston, but it’s hard to make a case for him to be a priority.

Spotlight on Shilen Patel and West Brom’s recruitment

So, there are some big decisions to make at West Brom over the coming weeks, and there will be intrigue to see what direction the club go in under Patel.

Over the years, the situation has been clear. Corberan and the scouts would be on the lookout for loan deals and free agents, which restricts what you can do.

Now, there is more freedom, and even if they have to be careful, it’s a much better outlook for Albion than it has been previously.