Brennan Johnson is willing to wait until the summer before committing to a new deal, boosting the chances of Leeds United and West Ham signing him.
According to Football Insider, Brennan Johnson has refused to commit his future to Nottingham Forest as he wants to evaluate his options in the summer before making a firm decision. Leeds United, West Ham United and Brentford were interested in the attacking midfielder, who could now move to the Premier League next season.
Brennan Johnson has been one of the young stars in the Championship who has experienced a tremendous rise in stature this season. The 20-year-old’s performances have been rewarded with a place in the Wales national team, for whom he has already made seven appearances.
His tally of 11 goals and five assists in all competitions for Forest has led to interest from a host of Premier League sides. While the Championship side were able to block offers for the 20-year-old in the January transfer window, they may be powerless in the summer in that regard.
Leeds United made a sizeable offer, only for Forest to reject their overtures in January. Brentford, too, had a reported approach turned down by the second division club, as they hoped to tie Johnson down to a new deal. However, since gaining prominent interest from Premier League sides, the player is willing to evaluate offers now.
Consequently, Johnson has refused to commit his long term future to the club. Meanwhile, Forest’s chances of promotion still exist but are slim at best, which leaves the door open for the 20-year-old to leave.
Leeds, who are set for a shakeup after sacking manager Marcelo Bielsa in the last few days, remain interested in Johnson. They have firm competition from West Ham United, with David Moyes looking to sign a few attacking talents to add depth to his squad. If the Hammers qualify for Europe again, Johnson could be tempted to move to West Ham.
However, there are the likes of Brentford and Tottenham who remain interested in him. Brentford were even willing to pay a record fee in January for Johnson. Considering the player’s refusal to sign a new contract, at least for the time being, the chances of a Premier League side signing him have increased.
Johnson has a contract with Forest until 2023, which could force the Championship side to sell him at a knocked down price in the summer window. It remains to be seen whether any of these Premier League sides launch a move for the 20-year-old.
