Born in Canada on 8 October 1998, Alistair Johnston plays primarily as a right back and is currently a highly-regarded defender for Celtic. Standing at 5ft 10in (1.8m) and weighing in at 12st 1lb (77kg), Johnston represents an imposing physical presence on the field. His presence has earned him representing honours for the Canadian national team, and he can regularly be seen sporting the number 2 jersey for Celtic.
Johnston has carved out a relatively successful career for himself, and there has been a noticeable increase in his market value over the years. According to Transfermarkt, his current market value hovers around £7.5m (€9.00m). His burgeoning reputation on the field has ensured the length and security of his contract with Celtic, which still has 4 years and 6 months left to run before it is set to expire on 30 June 2029.
Johnston had a particularly unorthodox start to his footballing career in America. Having joined Nashville in the MLS via the draft in February 2020, he made 18 first-team appearances in his debut 2020 season, before improving on this with 26 appearances and one goal in his 2021 season. After impressing at Nashville, he made a transfer to CF Montreal, also in the MLS, in December 2021. His solid performances continued, making 33 first team appearances and scoring four goals during his stint with Montreal.
It was from CF Montreal that Celtic swooped in for Johnston's services in January 2023, stumping up a fee of around £3m. In Scotland, Johnston quickly established himself as a mainstay within the Celtic side, making 14 first team appearances and scoring one goal in the 2022-2023 season. His performance trajectory only increased in the following season (2023-2024) with 32 first team appearances and one goal. The current 2024-2025 season already boasts 21 games and four goals from Johnston.
Johnston's talents have not gone unnoticed outside of the Celtic club, as he participated in the Champions League 2023-2024, the League Cup 2024-2025, and the Copa America in 2024. Recently, he played in the Champions League 2024-2025, representing Celtic and further escalating his growing reputation.
