In a recent report, The Daily Mirror mentioned that Everton are set to rival Tottenham Hotspur for West Bromwich Albion custodian Sam Johnstone who is set to become a free agent this summer. It is believed that the Toffees are ready for a battle with Spurs to land the English keeper in this off-season.
Johnstone’s Impressive Numbers In English Football This Season
Johnstone is having a solid campaign at the Hawthorns as he has continued to excel as the Baggies’ primary goalkeeper. The 29-year-old has conceded 33 goals and secured 15 clean sheets in 36 matches for West Brom this season across all competitions.
The Preston-born goalie deserves a pat on the back for averaging 1.1 clearances and 10.1 long balls per game in the EFL Championship. He has often gone long with his ball distribution which explains why he has only made 56% of his attempted passes in the English second division (stats via whoscored).
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What Will Johnstone Add To Everton Boss Frank Lampard’s Side?
Johnstone has proven himself to be a solid keeper at the back. He has got decent reflexes that allow him to make a few world-class saves inside his half.
The English sensation is a good handler of the ball as well but needs to take care of possession a bit better if he wants to become a good fit for Frank Lampard‘s style of play at Everton.
At 29, Johnstone has still got a few good years left in him. Hence, he will be a great signing for the Toffees to pursue this summer. The fact that the West Brom keeper would be available as a free agent makes him an attractive option for Everton in this off-season. However, the Merseyside outfit might find it difficult to go head-to-head with Spurs as they do not have the lure of European football to convince the player.
We can expect Johnstone to add more quality to Lampard’s goalkeeping department at Merseyside. Based on this season, the Baggies talent is having a better campaign than Jordan Pickford, who has often been guilty of being inconsistent at Goodison Park recently. Thus, it makes sense for Lampard to sacrifice Pickford for someone like Johnstone this summer.
