Wolverhampton Wanderers are close to reaching a deal for Crystal Palace goalkeeper Sam Johnstone.
Johnstone has been expected to leave Palace throughout the summer and now a deal is nearing completion between Palace and Wolves.
The former Man United goalkeeper joined Palace from West Brom in 2022 on a free transfer, but his time in London appears to be up.
Johnstone set for move back to the Midlands
David Ornstein confirmed on The Athletic that Wolves and Palace have agreed on a £10million fee for the goalkeeper.
They reported earlier in the window that it was expected Johnstone would leave this summer. Oliver Glasner made clear that Dean Henderson would be his number one, leading to Johnstone requesting to leave. Several teams were keeping tabs on the goalkeeper, but Wolves are set to win the race for him.
How did Johnstone do last season?
In the 2023/24 Premier League season, Johnstone played 20 times for Palace. In those games, he conceded 27 goals and made 41 saves.
Sofascore gave him an average rating of 6.82 in the league. In comparison, Henderson was given a 6.84 rating in just 18 games.
Henderson ended the season as the number one choice, with Johnstone out with an elbow injury. He took that chance, leaving Johnstone to take up the number two spot for Palace at the start of this season.
Is this a good move for Johnstone and Wolves? – opinion
Looking at the move from the point of view of Johnstone, it is a confusing one. He’s leaving Palace due to being the number two, but Wolves number one, Jose Sa, has missed just six games in three seasons since joining.
From the outside, it appears he’s swapping one bench for another. Maybe he’s spoken to the club and been told differently – time will tell.
Wolves will likely be happy to get the deal over the line. Having two strong goalkeepers is the latest trend in the Premier League. Signing Johnstone offers Gary O’Neil another great option between the sticks this season.