Sam Johnstone Becomes West Brom’s First Signing After Relegation

By Shawn Ivan D'souza | July 4, 2018

Reuters / Jason Cairnduff

Manchester United’s Sam Johnstone has completed his switch to West Bromwich Albion.

The Red Devils have some of the best goalkeepers in the world at the moment. David De Gea has been their no.1 for the past seven seasons, whereas Argentina’s Sergio Romero has been a reliable backup for the Spaniard over the past couple of seasons.

The third spot has been shared by a couple of youngsters. United’s academy has produced a number of stars, but most of them spent seasons on loan before eventually leaving. And now, Sam Johnstone is officially one of those names.

Born in Preston, he became a pro in 2011 after spending 2 years in the Carrington academy. But Johnstone failed to break into the first team, making 0 appearances in total. He spent loan spells with 7 clubs across League One and Championship.

Most recently, Johnstone played a key role in Aston Villa’s bid to Premier League promotion. The English shot-stopper made 45 appearances for the Villains, but his side fell short in the PlayOffs final, where they lost to Fulham.

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With the lack of opportunities evident at Old Trafford, Johnstone decided to move elsewhere this summer. He became West Brom’s first signing this summer for a reported initial fee of £6.5 million.

Bonuses are likely to be attached in the contract, as Manchester United believe in his potential to grow.

This move comes as a heartbreak for Aston Villa, as they hoped to make a permanent move to make a Premier League push once again next season.

Reports suggest that they have now turned their attention towards Plymouth Argyle goalkeeper Michael Cooper.

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Sam Johnstone showed signs of brilliance when he played in the Championship. The 25-year old couldn’t wait any longer to make his name in the game.

The West Brom move comes at the right time for the goalkeeper, as the club looks to rebuild from their horrible Premier League campaign last season.

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