Sky Sports pundit delivers verdict on Crystal Palace keeper Sam Johnstone transfer to West Brom
We’re delighted to welcome former West Brom striker Kevin Campbell as our exclusive columnist. Each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points at The Hawthorns…
Kevin Campbell does not see Crystal Palace keeper Sam Johnston making a return to West Brom while they are in the Championship.
Despite his lack of game time at Selhurst Park, the fact that he left the Hawthorns where he was the first choice, suggests, in his opinion, that he does not want second tier football.
Sun journalist Alan Nixon reported in his Patreon back when the Baggies were fighting for promotion that they would want to sign him if they returned to the top flight.
Discussing this exclusively with West Brom News, Campbell, a Sky Sports pundit said, “No, I can’t see it happening. Why would he not be in the Premier League?
“I know that the goalkeepers want to play and stuff, but he’s been in the Championship, he came out there and went back to the Premier League.
“I think he’s going want to stay in the Premier League because of his England ambitions and that does get stunted when you’re in the championship.“
The 30-year-old has been a peripheral figure in London since his return to the top flight.
He played towards the back end of this past season but that was only because Vicente Guaita suffered a hamstring injury.
The crisis was so bad that 19-year-old Joe Whitworth was also handed his Premier League debut and that only shows that Johnstone isn’t rated highly by the club hierarchy.
Palace chairman Steve Parish labelled him as “outstanding” when signed for the club in 2022 and if he wants to play for England again, he’ll need to prove his worth by being a first-team regular.
In other West Brom news, a Sky Sports pundit has lashed out at a Baggies employee and has mooted serious consequences behind the scenes at Hawthorns.