‘Southgate is open’ – West Brom player opens up on England dream ahead of PL return
West Brom keeper Sam Johnstone is aiming for an England call-up after sealing a return to the Premier League with the Baggies.
The Baggies mainstay insists that Gareth Southgate will pick players based on their form, and wants to replicate Burnley stopper Nick Pope this season.
Johnstone has completed every minute of the past two seasons at the Hawthorns, although Slaven Bilic has brought in competition in the shape of David Button.
Johnstone shared that his goal is to impress and catch the eye of the England set-up, with the European Championships around the corner next year.
“First of all, I have to do well for West Brom,” he told iNews.
“There are going to be people at games, people watching, things will be highlighted more, one way or another, positively or negatively.
“Southgate is open, it’s not the same names every week, it’s whoever is performing every week. You look at the likes of Nick Pope, he’s doing unbelievably well in the squad. I want to do that. I want to do well and impress people and be in his thoughts of getting called up.”
Southgate may be open with his selections, calling up Kalvin Phillips recently, but his goalkeeping department is different.
The Three Lions boss has high levels of loyalty to Jordan Pickford despite his poor last season and has two highly-promising stoppers in reserve.
Both Dean Henderson and Nick Pope have proved themselves in the Premier League, and it would take one cracking year for Johnstone to jump ahead of them two in the rankings this season.
In other West Brom news, Baggies player signs new contract ahead of 20/21 season
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