2 weeks ago
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Exclusive interview
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Max Johnston’s career is on the ascendancy after a hugely successful few months and it's poised to be a pivotal summer for the talented 22-year-old. After winning the Scottish Football Writers’ Young Player of the Year award in 2023, Johnston became the latest young Scotland star to step outside his comfort zone and pursue an exciting opportunity abroad. Celtic and Rangers were interested in the Motherwell starlet but the right-back opted to join Sturm Graz for €350k. It was a brave move at 19 but Johnston wanted to experience a new culture in Austria and continue his development at a club with a track record at nurturing young players.
Johnston had to be patient to nail down a starting role but he flourished last season to gain attention from major European clubs and earn his international debut with Scotland. After failing to win the Austrian Bundesliga title for 13 years, Sturm ended Red Bull Salzburg’s dominance to win consecutive titles in Johnston’s two years at the club. It’s unlikely, however, that the full-back will remain in Graz next season with clubs in Germany, France and Italy circling and in an exclusive interview with Transfermarkt, Johnston admits his aspirations of playing at the highest level, which ties in with Sturmz’s policy of developing player before selling for profit.
Max Johnston exclusive interview
“I want to play at the highest level that I can get to,” Johnston told Transfermarkt. “I want to keep pushing and I want to keep moving forward in my career. I feel that I’ve shown my ability during my two seasons here and performed well in the Champions League. Sturm told me when I joined their plan was to develop me, so I can move onto the next step. Sturm have enjoyed great success at selling players on, so I knew it would be a great club for me.”
Johnston’s market value grew by €2.5 million on Transfermarkt last season to its current €3.5m valuation and it’s understood Sturm’s price tag is around €3m this summer. While there’s interest from Johnston in England, Transfermarkt understands that his preference is to remain on the continent with the leading interest arriving from Germany, France and Italy. Augsburg were keen on Johnston before he joined Sturm and their interest remains with Mainz and Union Berlin also in the race with Bundesliga clubs constantly monitoring the Austrian leagues. Ligue 1 trio Lens, Toulouse and Reims are tracking Johnston but there’s also growing interest in Italy.
Max Johnston: Napoli join race
Transfermarkt understands Serie A champions Napoli are observing Johnston ahead of a potential move. Giovanni de Lorenzo is Napoli’s captain and Italy’s right-back but Johston could provide competition for the 31-year-old and join fellow Scots Billy Gilmour and Scott McTominay in Naples. Several Scottish players have flourished in Italy across recent years and Aaron Hickey’s success at Bologna acted as inspiration for Johnston ahead of moving to Sturm Graz.
“When I first decided to go abroad, I looked at the likes of Aaron and how successful he was at Bologna,” admitted Johnston. “He’s also a full back and he was excellent at Bologna before moving to the Premier League. Several Scottish boys have thrived abroad, especially in Italy and that definitely pushed me. I thought well there must be something abroad that looks good for young Scottish players, so I definitely wanted to try it. I feel as though I've come on massively to be fair and that was the whole point of me going over to Austria. I wanted to learn more and I wanted to experience different things and I feel as though I'm doing that every week. Moving away from home at 19 is difficult. A lot of people don't see that. They see the football side and they think everything's going well but it's difficult. I’ve developed massively in Austria and grown as a player and person.”
Max Johnston: Champions League test and Jamie Gittens
Johnston’s development was accelerated by testing himself in the Champions League last season. The Scotland starlet started four games in Sturm’s difficult campaign but performed well individually, especially against Borussia Dortmund wonderkid Jame Gittens. Johnston rates the Chelsea-bound winger as the most difficult opponent in his career but he relished the opportunity to test himself against world-class players. He added: “It was always a goal of mine to play in the Champions League and now I've got a taste of it as well, that's the stage I want to be playing on. It was obviously amazing to start a few games in the Champions League and especially at memorable stadiums like Borussia Dortmund. It was amazing, it was obviously just how you would think it is, so loud and the fans are amazing of course with the yellow wall."
On Gittens, Johnston continued: “He’s a top player and linked with big clubs Chelsea. He was a top player and linked with big clubs like Chelsea. He was probably the most technical player that I’ve played against and I really enjoyed playing against him. You need to respect the level of the opponent that you’re against but at the same time, you need to be confident in your own ability.”
Max Johnson: Scotland right-back competition
After winning the domestic double in his first year in Austria, Johnston won the title last season after making his Scotland debut in March against Greece and his first start against Iceland, earlier this month. For years, the Scotland manager’s biggest conundrum has been fitting two top-class left-backs - Andy Robertson and Kieran Tierney - into the same team. But it’s now on the opposite side where Scotland are blessed with Johnston competing with Aaron Hickey and Nathan Patterson at right-back.
“Competition is good,” confessed Johnston. “No matter what club you're at or playing for your country there's always going to be competition and that’s a good thing. We have a number of really talented right-backs at international level but I’ll embrace that, rather than view it as a negative. It was obviously a dream come true to start my first game at Hampden in front of the fans and in front of my family it was definitely a dream come true. It was a difficult result but it was a really proud night for myself.”
Max Johnston: Motherwell and Lennon Miller
Johnston progressed through the youth academy at Motherwell and the Steelmen are renowned for giving young players their chance - unlike many other Scottish clubs. In Lennon Miller, Motherwell possess one of Scotland’s best young talents and Johnston has provided the midfielder with advice ahead of his big move this summer.
“Yeah I definitely recommended moving abroad to him,” admitted Johnston. “When I spoke to him I said it's something I've really enjoyed and the best decision I made was going abroad and experiencing something new. I definitely recommended it to him and I think he would really enjoy it. Motherwell’s a really good club at trusting youngsters, and you see the success that Lennon had this year. Before me there was David Turnbull, Allan Campbell and Jake Hastie, so their track record reassures young players that you’re at the right club.”
