Inside the Celtic chat between Josip Juranovic and Alistair Johnston - 'he brought situation up'

Alistair Johnston is on the verge of a move to Celtic from Montreal CF for £3million and the Canada right-back played against one of his potential team-mates at the World Cup last weekend when the Maple Leafs came up against Croatia.

Canadian right-back Alistair Johnston is expected to sign for Celtic after the World Cup.

Celtic’s current right-back Josip Juranovic was in action for the Croats and he and Johnston caught up after the match to discuss the latter’s impending move to Glasgow. There is some speculation that Juranovic will depart Celtic in January, with a number of clubs interested in him, and that Johnston will be his replacement. The 24-year-old former Nashville player revealed what was said between the two after Croatia’s 4-1 win in Qatar.

“Josip is a really good player,” said Johnston, whose Canada team are back in action on Thursday against Morocco. “I had a little chat with him after the game and he is a good lad. He played an unbelievable game for Croatia and he's quick, isn't he? He is a solid player and it's easy to see why Celtic fans love him. He brought the Celtic situation up a little bit to me, but that's a conversation I can hopefully have with him in a little more detail in the future.”

Johnston also revealed that former Celtic midfielder Victor Wanyama – a club-mate of his at Montreal – was influential in selling the move to Glasgow. “Victor is one who has definitely been in my ear about it,” Johnston continued in an interview with the Scottish Daily Mail. “He had glowing reviews for the club. He was one of the ones who said to me, 'Look, if you get an opportunity and something comes up at Celtic, you have to take it'.

Josip Juranovic, Celtic's current first-choice right-back, is being courted by a number of clubs.

“Vic says it's the biggest club he had ever played for and he has played for some big clubs in Spurs and Southampton, so that was a pretty glowing recommendation. I got a glowing review from Victor and I have done a lot of my own research. Victor has done a lot of research for me as well, to be fair he's the best agent Celtic could have.”