Brazilian giants Flamengo are close to finalising a deal for West Brom winger Mikey Johnston worth £5 million.
The Express and Star is reporting that the 26-year-old has already said his goodbyes to the Baggies squad and is keen for the move to Brazil, which is described as a “life-changing” opportunity.
West Brom are also reportedly keen on the sale from a PSR point of view.
Mikey Johnston played 40 games for West Brom last season, scoring three times and registering five assists, as the Baggies finished ninth in the Championship.
Flamengo have just finished their campaign in the Club World Cup after their 4-2 defeat to Bayern Munich in the round of 16. The competition proved historic for Felipe Luis’ side as they defeated his former club Chelsea 3-1 in the group stage.
The Rio De Janeiro side are also currently top of the Brazilian top flight, level on points with Cruzeiro, who have played one game more.
West Brom, on the other hand, are looking to spend the fee for Mikey Johnston straight away, with Ryan Mason’s side rumoured to be in talks with Norwegian side Brann over their striker Aune Heggebo. The 23-year-old is expected to be worth around £4.7 million and has been prolific in the Norwegian first division, scoring seven times in 13 games.
Heggebo would be the Baggies’ second major signing of this transfer window after securing defender Nat Phillips from Liverpool for an initial £1m earlier in the window.
The Baggies are also rumoured to be chasing QPR’s Charlie Kelman, who spent last season on loan at Leyton Orient and finished up as League One’s top goalscorer.
Mikey Johnston’s career so far
The Glasgow-born winger rose through the Celtic youth academy, making his first team debut with his boyhood club in a 2017 win over St Johnstone at Celtic Park.
He would go on to make 93 appearances for the Scottish champions, scoring 13 goals and registering 12 assists.
Unfortunately, injuries would disrupt his Celtic career with Jota, Liel Abada and Daizen Maeda all pushing him further down the pecking order in Scotland.
A brief loan spell in Portugal with Vitoria Guimaraes in 2022 would help him recover some form with regular game time before he joined West Brom on loan in February 2024.
During his loan spell at the West Midlands side, he scored seven goals in 18 games and won March’s Championship Player of the Month award. It was this end-of-season form that encouraged the Baggies to tie Johnston down permanently, although last season wasn’t as prolific.
Both Johnston and West Brom lost momentum after Carlos Corberan’s mid-season departure to Valencia, and the 26-year-old failed to replicate his previous form.
Now, with Flamengo on the horizon, Johnston is set for a footballing culture shock and a chance to reignite his career on a new continent.
For Johnston, it’s a bold bet on himself. For West Brom, it’s a chance to recover some money for future transfers. And for Flamengo, it’s a gamble that could prove impressive.
