Celtic rocked as fan favourite confirms ‘DREAM’ transfer

Celtic defender Alistair Johnston has confirmed that he dreams of playing in the Premier League one day, despite the fact he is “really happy” in Glasgow.

The 26-year-old, who joined Celtic from Montreal for €3.5m in January 2023, has established himself as a fan favourite since his arrival in Scotland and he has won a whopping seven trophies during a two-and-a-half year spell at the club.

Johnston signed a new long-term contract at Celtic Park last year, which is valid until 2029, but Fulham and Ipswich Town were both reportedly interested in signing him in January, while Everton have now been tipped as a possible destination for the Canada international.

Celtic fans believe Johnston could be a future captain of the club, although the 26-year-old has admitted that moving to the English top flight remains a career goal.

Alistair Johnston drops Celtic transfer update

When asked if he wants to stay at Celtic for the remainder of his career or test himself at a higher level, Johnston told the Park the Bus Podcast (via The Daily Record): “I think it’s a really good problem to have in terms of none of those options sound bad to me in the slightest.

“If you were to say that I was able to finish my career at Celtic, it means that I’ve done something really, really, really well done. I’ve done something right for a club of this magnitude to want to keep me in the building for that long.”

He added: “The Premier League is obviously a dream, I think, of pretty much every player. It’s the highest level that you can play at.

“But, luckily in my time here at Celtic I’ve been able to play at some pretty big matches too in the Champions League…

“To truly answer your question, of course I have aspirations to potentially play in some of the biggest leagues in the world.

“But at the same time, I’m really happy here. I’m really settled here. It’s a great city, a great fanbase that truly loves and appreciates me.

“The grass isn’t always greener. We’ve seen that quite a few times. The grass at Celtic is quite green – it’s well watered here! I can say that much so I’ve really enjoyed myself here.”

Johnston has racked up 115 first-team appearances for Celtic, scoring seven goals, and his Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) currently stands at €11m – the third-highest of any defender in the Scottish Premiership.

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