Johnny Russell claims he wanted dream Celtic move, but they wouldn’t pay bargain fee

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Johnny Russell wanted to join Celtic from Dundee United.

Sporting Kansas City forward Johnny Russell has told Open Goal that he wanted to join Celtic back in 2013 – but they wouldn’t pay an extra £150,000 for him.

Russell, 28, came up through the ranks with Dundee United, and after loan spells with Forfar Athletic and Raith Rovers, he became a first-team star at Tannadice.

With a total of 35 goals in his final two seasons with the club, Russell was a rising star of Scottish football, and ended up with Derby County.

However, it could have all been different. Russell grew up supporting Celtic, and the Bhoys were interested in signing a then-23-year-old Russell.

Russell has told of how he wanted to make the move to Parkhead, with both Celtic and Derby offering £500,000, which United rejected in pursuit of more money.

Derby came back with the £650,000 needed to sign him, but Celtic refused to pay just £150,000 more to sign him – and left Russell understandably gutted.

“They both offered £500,000, but Dundee United said ‘nah that’s not enough’ – they wanted more. Derby came back in with £650,000. At the time I wanted to go to Celtic – my preference would be to go to Celtic.”

“My agent was speaking to me and was saying that Celtic and Derby are there, but Derby have offered more and United had accepted it. I still kinda wanted Celtic to come back to the table and they wouldn’t budge, they wouldn’t go over £500,000. I was gutted – I know it’s a lot of money, but I was thinking it’s £150,000 on top,” he added.

£650,000 would have been a bargain anyway, but having offered £500,000, it’s incredible that Celtic weren’t willing to pay just £150,000 more for the player, especially having paid more for Derk Boerrigter, Amido Balde and Teemu Pukki that same summer.

Still a Scotland international, Russell hit 28 goals in 162 games for Derby and has impressed for SKC in the States, thought it now seems that a dream move to Celtic has passed Russell by at this stage in his career.