Former coach reveals Hearts transfer miss on star now ripping it up with West Brom

The Celtic loanee currently with West Brom almost made a Hearts transfer last season.

The star is out on loan away from Celtic currently

Lee McCulloch has revealed a Hearts transfer miss on a Celtic player during Robbie Neilson’s tenure in charge.

Last season didn’t end on a positive note for the gaffer now in America with Tampa Bay Rowdies, as he left with a third place bid hitting the skids. It’s been a positive period under successor Steven Naismith, who is set to cement that place below Rangers and Celtic in this year’s Premiership season.

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Recruitment at Tynecastle has been lauded, and already they are planning for next term which will include European football of some kind, with Yan Dhanda, Blair Spittal and James Penrice all signing pre-contracts.

One star from a Premiership rival Hearts did try to sign in 2022 was Mikey Johnston. The Celtic winger has struggled to make a consistent impact at Parkhead but in his second loan away from the club, he is shining for West Brom and was recently voted English Championship Player of the Month.

During the summer transfer window deadline day, Hearts ended up signing Stephen Humphrys on loan from Wigan as their only recruit. McCulloch - who worked with Neilson as an assistant coach - insists a bid for the Celtic man failed due to him not wanting another Scottish club as he opted for Portugal with Vitoria S.C.

He told PLZ Soccer: "We tried to get Mikey Johnston at Hearts and he didn't want to leave Celtic. And if he did leave Celtic he didn't want to go to another Scottish team."