Rijo Sam Daniel
Transfer News: West Ham lead Manchester United in race to sign West Brom star Sam Johnstone
According to The Sun, West Ham United are leading Manchester United in the race to secure the services of West Brom star Sam Johnstone ahead of the summer transfer window. He is in line to leave his side at the end of this season, prompting the interested parties to vie for his signature.
Johnstone has less than six months left in his current deal with West Bromwich Albion. An extension does not seem to be on the cards, especially when there are several Premier League clubs interested in signing him after this campaign. Man United are one of those teams as they look to target him as a replacement for Dean Henderson.
The Red Devils had enquired about Johnstone’s availability last summer, but a move never came to fruition. That being said, West Ham are still the clear leaders in the transfer race, with Tottenham Hotspur and Southampton also in the mix trying to facilitate a transfer after this term.
Should Man Utd sign Johnstone?
We definitely need to retaliate if there are active plans to bring the Championship star back to Old Trafford. It is claimed that a deal between the Hammers and the goalkeeper is “long way down the line” at this stage and if we really do want the Englishman, then the board has to react.
David Moyes’ side could definitely use an addition in their goalkeeping spot since their current set of options are in the twilight of their playing careers. As such, it is understandable why they are very keen on a move- also offering a better prospect of regular playing time in the process.
For that same reason, the board must ramp up their efforts and pip the London-based club if we are really planning to replace Henderson with Johnstone. Our second-choice keeper seems to be frustrated, having fallen down the pecking order due to David de Gea’s rise in form this campaign.
Hendo showed at Sheffield United that he is a talented goalkeeper that can hold his own in the PL. Even last year, he displaced David de Gea from the starting XI for a brief spell of time. But if he is to leave in the near future, we must replace him.
Tom Heaton isn’t really the go-to option for that as he turns 36 this April. Johnstone has shown his capabilities for the Baggies and could be a good option for us as de Gea’s backup.
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With Spurs and the Saints also posing competition to sign the 28-year-old, we have work to do if there are active plans to facilitate a return for our academy graduate. It remains to be seen how this situation would turn out to be in the coming months ahead of the summer transfer window.
But it certainly remains to be seen if Johnstone would trade a starting spot in one team to be a backup at United- if that is the plan we have for him.
