Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly set to face stiff competition from West Ham United and Newcastle United in pursuit of Sam Johnstone.
Sam Johnstone is set to become one of the most sought-after English players in the transfer market, reports The Sun. The highly-rated goalkeeper has informed West Bromwich Albion of his desire to leave the club as a free agent at the end of the season, thus attracting interest from a host of clubs across the Premier League.
The list is led by Tottenham Hotspur, but the Londoners face stiff competition from rivals West Ham United, while Newcastle United are involved in the equation as well. Spurs are said to be leading the chase as they have already made contact with Johnstone, exploring a possible move to north London in the upcoming summer transfer window.
Tottenham’s pursuit of a new goalkeeper comes in the aftermath of their decision to let go of the services of Pierluigi Gollini. The Italian was brought in last summer to serve as a deputy for the ageing Hugo Lloris and later replace the Frenchman. But he has struggled to make an impact in his debut season in England and is set to pack his bags back to Atalanta.
While Tottenham have managed to convince Lloris to spend another season at the club, they are looking for a goalkeeper capable of filling in his shoes in the years of come.
West Ham, meanwhile, are looking for a long-term successor for Lukasz Fabianski. The Pole has been an excellent servant for the Hammers over the years, but he is not getting any younger. West Ham are also unlikely to retain Alphonse Areola due to his wage demands.
As for Newcastle United, they are not in immediate need of reinforcements in the goalkeeping unit as Martin Dubravka has done fairly well. But the goalkeeper is well into his thirties, thus accentuating the need for a fresh face in the upcoming summer transfer window.
Sam Johnstone could be an excellent option for each of Tottenham, West Ham and Newcastle as he has shown immense quality at West Brom and has what it takes to become a first-team regular in the English top flight. And with a host of clubs interested, the Englishman should grab himself a lucrative contract as we near the summer transfer window.
