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9th July 2025
08:53am BST
Ireland and West Brom winger, Mikey Johnston, looked all set to join Brazilian Série A side Flamengo.
The 26-year-old, who has 15 international caps, was due to fly out to Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday, but instead will rejoin the Baggies for their pre-season tour to Austria.
Johnston’s link to Flamengo surprised many at the weekend, but the move had some sense to it.
During a past loan spell with Portuguese side Vitoria de Guimaraes in 2022/23, Johnston had played under coach Jose Boto, who is now Flamengo’s sporting director.
However, it was reported on Monday that a “a backlash from supporters” had scuppered the move.
Ireland legend, and now manager of Hungarian giants Ferencvaros, Robbie Keane, has since been on Brazilian sports TV, endorsing the former Celtic man.
As reported in the Irish Mirror, the conversation went like this:
Robbie Keane: "How are you?"
Vampeta: "Fine"
Keane: "Yeah, are you good?"
Vampeta: "Yes, good man."
Keane: "How are you my friend?"
Vampeta: "Fine. One minute please (hands phone over)."
Pilhado: "Hi, I'm Vampeta's friend, how are you? Let me ask a question. We are in a programme in Brazil live, I want to know, do you know Mike Johnston, a striker from Ireland?"
Keane: "Yeah, Michael, he's a winger, a left-winger, he's really small and fast."
Pilhado: "(Translates answer) But let me ask you something, he is a good name for Flamengo, a Brazilian team here?"
Keane: "I'm with my Brazilian (fades out, but likely referring to Ferencvaros assistant coach Leandro de Almeida)... The fans will like him, because he is really fast and skillful."
Pilhado: "Do you think he is a good player for a big team in Brazil?"
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