West Bromwich Albion have reportedly slapped a £20 million price tag on Sam Johnstone, who is a target for former club Manchester United.
According to a report by Daily Telegraph, West Bromwich Albion will hope to recoup £20 million from the sale of Sam Johnstone if they are relegated. Manchester United are one of the clubs that are interested in signing the 28-year-old goalkeeper in the summer transfer window.
Sam Johnstone has made quite a name for himself since joining West Bromwich Albion from Manchester United in the summer of 2018. While with the Red Devils, the former academy ace was unable to carve out a place in the first-team squad due to the presence of David de Gea and Sergio Romero, and was sent out on ten different loan spells with seven clubs.
Over the last three years, though, Johnstone has become one of the best goalkeepers in England, which has also helped him break into the national squad. Till date, the 28-year-old has made 128 appearances for the Baggies, managing 30 clean sheets in the process. And in a miserable campaign in the Premier League, the former Manchester United goalkeeper has been a shining light for West Brom.
Johnstone’s exploits have not gone unnoticed either, with Manchester United now looking to re-sign him in the summer transfer window. The English goalkeeper has also attracted interest from Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United.
For Manchester United, the keenness to bring their former academy ace back to Old Trafford is pretty straightforward. David de Gea has endured a sharp decline in his performance levels, which has, in turn, adversely affected his stature at the club as well, especially following the return of Dean Henderson from his loan stint with Sheffield United.
As things stand, de Gea has been relegated to the role of understudy to Henderson, who has been starting Premier League games ahead of the Spaniard for around a month. And, as per recent reports, Manchester United are ready to cash in on de Gea, whose sale could then fund the capture of Johnstone and other targets.
Time for a parting of ways? – The curious case of David de Gea and Manchester United
The Red Devils now know how much they will have to pay to sign Johnstone as well, with West Brom demanding £20 million in exchange for his services. Manchester United, though, have a sell-on clause of around 15% on the 28-year-old and that will reflect in the transfer fee West Brom will be demanding.
However, while the interest from Manchester United is all well and good, it will be interesting to see if Johnstone is open to a return to Old Trafford to share game-time with Henderson if not play second-fiddle to his compatriot. An intriguing summer beckons the former United academy star, as he looks set for a move to a bigger club ahead of the 2021/22 season.
