In a recent report, The Daily Mirror stated that Tottenham Hotspur are close to landing West Bromwich Albion custodian Sam Johnstone on a free transfer this summer. It is understood that Spurs are now the favourities to acquire the services of the English keeper after Manchester United dropped their interest in their former player.
Johnstone’s Excellent Season At The Hawthorns
The 29-year-old has produced a series of impressive displays in between the sticks for the Baggies over the past ten months. Johnstone has kept 15 clean sheets and conceded 33 goals in 36 matches for his current employers this season across all competitions.
The Preston-born talent has done well to average 1.1 clearances and 10.1 long balls per 90 minutes in the EFL Championship. Johnstone has often chosen to go long with his ball distribution which is why he has only completed 58% of his attempted passes in the English second division (stats via whoscored).
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Is Johnstone The Right Fit For Tottenham Hotspur Boss Antonio Conte?
Johnstone has proven himself to be a capable pair of hands in goal for the Baggies during this campaign. He is a solid handler of the ball and has got decent reflexes that help pull off a few important saves at the back.
The English sensation can pass the ball well in long distances but needs to be more accurate with his short-range ball distribution.
At 29, Johnstone has got a wealth of experience in English football and will be available as a free agent this summer. Hence, he would be a good fit for Spurs as they look to replace Hugo Lloris who has already entered the twilight years of his playing career at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Johnstone is good enough to serve as a decent back-up to the Tottenham first-team keeper next season and could go on to succeed him in the future. Thus, Antonio Conte should think about getting the deal over the line for him in this off-season. However, Johnstone is yet to prove his worth in top-flight football, so there are some concerns over whether he would be able to handle the expectations at a top club like Tottenham.
