West Ham have been backed to make a ‘no brainer’ move for West Brom goalkeeper Sam Johnstone in the summer.
The Hammers have been extensively linked with a move for the 28-year-old for some time and could be handed the opportunity as a free transfer at the end of the season.
Despite the presence of an evergreen Lukasz Fabianski and on-loan star Alphonse Areola, the Irons’ should still make a move for the England international.
That’s according to former Premier League stopper Paul Robinson, speaking to Football Insider, the 42-year-old suggested that Johnstone would present an opportunity that shouldn’t be missed.
If he gets back into the team, starts enjoying his football again and West Brom get promoted he might want to stay. You cannot rule that out. He’s in a strong position at the moment. It would be a no brainer for West Ham. He is a top goalkeeper and on a free it is a more attractive proposition than signing Areola. I suspect it will not just be West Ham looking at Johnstone when he becomes a free agent. A lot can change between now and the end of the season though.
At present, the three-cap England ace has been sidelined at the Hawthorns following a dispute with ex-manager Valerien Ismael.
This all comes as current West Ham number one, Fabianski, has sent a rallying cry on Instagram stating: “The fight is still on.”
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Valued at £7.2million and soon to be available for nothing (Transfermarkt), it’s impossible to deny that signing Johnstone for free represents an outstanding piece of business.
While the capture of Areola from Paris Saint-Germain looked almost certain to see the Frenchman take over the gloves, that hasn’t materialised as of yet this term.
In a deal that included an ‘option to buy’ the 28-year-old, at present it seems unlikely David Moyes would be willing to sanction the permanent transfer.
Instead the Scot may well turn to Johnstone and in doing so, save funds for other areas of the squad.
