Krishnan Sreekumar
Tottenham Hotspur receive transfer boost as Manchester United reach decision not to sign West Brom goalkeeper Sam Johnstone
According to the Mirror, Tottenham Hotspur are set to land West Bromwich Albion goalkeeper Sam Johnstone on a free transfer in the upcoming summer transfer window after Manchester United reached the decision not to sign their former player.
The Englishman is set to depart West Brom at the end of the season as a free agent after opting not to commit to the club beyond the summer. He joined the Baggies permanently in 2018 after bidding farewell to the Red Devils, where he spent his youth.
Johnstone may have taken a step down to the Championship to continue his career, but that decision has worked well for him. He has since represented England on the international stage and continues to be a regular part of the Three Lions squad.
With the player available for free in the summer, both Tottenham and United were locked in a battle to snap up the 29-year-old for themselves. However, it now looks like Spurs could have a free run at the goalkeeper after the Red Devils have seemingly backed out of the transfer race.
Closer to first-team action at Spurs
The Manchester side has decided not to pursue their academy graduate at the end of the season as they already have options at the back with David de Gea and Dean Henderson in the squad. Not just this, Johnstone himself feels that he needs to be closer to first-team action, which he could get in north London.
Daniel Levy has registered a keen interest in signing the goalkeeper, especially given that Lilywhites captain Hugo Lloris turns 36 later this year. Johnstone has been identified as someone that can not only provide competition to the Frenchman but also prove to be his replacement down the line. Further, quality reinforcements are being sought at Tottenham since Pierluigi Gollini has failed to impress.
At Old Trafford, de Gea has proven once again this season that he deserves to be the club’s first-choice between the sticks after putting in impressive displays week in and week out for his team. United may have had a terrible season this time around, but if not for their keeper, they could be worse off.
Even a quality shot-stopper like Henderson has failed to displace the Spaniard from his position. Although the Englishman briefly replaced de Gea as the team’s No. 1 last year, the 31-year-old has won back his place this season and has refused to give way to others.
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Johnstone’s move back to United would hardly have made sense, given that he left the side in the first place because he found his path to the senior side blocked by de Gea. The Spain international was in the peak years of his career back then, and there was no chance anyone was taking away his starting spot due to his incredible displays on the pitch.
The Englishman has a better chance of claiming a starting spot in the Spurs lineup, with an ageing Lloris guarding the net. The World Cup winner has waned in his performances over the years, and perhaps it may be time to cut ties with their captain and usher in a new era in north London with Johnstone in the thick of it.
