Celtic moved nine points clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership table with their 3-0 win over Hibernian at Parkhead on Saturday afternoon.
Arne Engels, an own goal from Joe Newell, and Kyogo Furuhashi were the scorers of the goals for the Scottish giants, who are now well clear of Aberdeen in second place.
Brendan Rodgers will surely be delighted with the incredible consistency of his team, with 14 wins from 15 league games, in the top-flight so far this season.
He will also be pleased by the form of right-back Alistair Johnston, who was recently nominated as one of the best players in his position in the world.
Alistair Johnston nominated for FIFA award
The Canada international is one of 22 defenders on the shortlist to be named in the 2024 FIFA’s The Best Men’s 11, and one of four right-backs in contention to make the team.
He is competing against Achraf Hakimi, former Celtic ace Jeremie Frimpong, and Dani Carvajal, whilst defenders like Virgil van Dijk, Ruben Dias, and Antonio Rudiger are also up for voting.
The presentation of the awards and the unveiling of The Best 11 will be in January 2025, which means that there is still time for supporters to vote for the Hoops star to make the team.
Celtic agreed a new contract with Johnston in November, at which point Rodgers hailed his “phenomenal” work rate, and they appear to have hit the jackpot with the impressive full-back.
Market Movers
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Ange Postecoglou swooped to sign him for a reported fee of £3.5m from MLS side Montreal in the January transfer window at the start of 2023, and his value has soared since then.
Alistair Johnston’s current market value
The 26-year-old star is currently valued at €9m (£7.5m) by Transfermarkt, which shows that his value has soared in his almost two years at Parkhead to date.
His market valuation has skyrocketed as a result of his terrific performances on the pitch for the Hoops, particularly since the start of the 2024/25 campaign.
Johnston, who assisted the opening goal from Engels against Hibernian at Paradise on Saturday, has provided a big attacking threat whilst also being solid defensively in the Scottish Premiership this season.
|
24/25 Premiership |
Alistair Johnston |
|---|---|
|
Appearances |
15 |
|
Goals |
4 |
|
Big chances created |
9 |
|
Assists |
4 |
|
Duel success rate |
59% |
|
Stats via Sofascore |
|
As you can see in the table above, the Celtic number two has held his own in his physical battles, winning the majority of his duels with opposition players in the division this term.
His attacking numbers are also extraordinary, particularly in comparison to his form in the 2023/24 campaign, as he has contributed with 13 goals and ‘big chances’ created combined in 15 matches.
Last season, Johnston scored one goal and created 11 ‘big chances’ in 32 appearances for Celtic in the Premiership, which means that he has already offered more in the final third despite not even playing half as many matches yet.
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Therefore, Postecoglou hit the jackpot when he signed the Canadian dynamo at the start of last year, as he his value has soared, his performances on the pitch have improved, and he is now among the best in the world in his position – given his nomination for FIFA’s award.
