West Brom must do everything they can to keep hold of Sam Johnstone in January
West Brom should do everything they can to keep hold of goalkeeper Sam Johnstone in the January transfer window.
Speculation is hotting up about the future of the England international, with the Sun reporting on Sunday (12 December) that Albion hope to sell him next month.
The outlet claimed that West Ham United, Tottenham Hotspur and Southampton are all interested in signing Johnstone.
However, we firmly believe that the best option for the Baggies is to refuse any bids for the 28-year-old, despite the risk of him leaving for free at the end of his contract next summer (2022).
Johnstone is undoubtedly the best goalkeeper in the Championship, keeping the joint-most clean sheets in the second tier this season (10).
Speaking to West Brom News in November, Kevin Phillips described the goalkeeper’s shot-stopping as “fantastic”.
His impressive performances have never been more important than this year, with Albion’s forwards struggling for form at the other end of the pitch.
It has meant that even if the Baggies only manage to nick one goal – as they did against Reading on Saturday (11 December) – then they still have a strong chance of getting the win as they can rely on Johnstone to shut out the opposition at the other end.
If the England international was to leave in January, there’s no guarantee they could get in a replacement who would provide the same solidity between the sticks.
Even if Albion were to receive a decent fee for him, it seems highly unlikely they would reinvest that money given their transfer record in recent years.
It means the risk of letting his contract run down is one definitely worth taking, particularly if he helps the club earn promotion back to the Premier League.
If West Brom do get into the top flight, there is every chance that Johnstone would then sign a new deal at the Hawthorns. That would be a true win-win situation.
In other West Brom news, Valerien Ismael has given an update on the future of one Albion player.
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