‘A race they need to win’ – Newcastle United enter race for in-demand West Brom ace: The verdict | OneFootball

This article is part of Football League World’s ‘The Verdict’ series, which provides personal opinions from the FLW writers regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

West Brom are looking set to face a very difficult task of keeping hold of Sam Johnstone in the January transfer window with Premier League interest in him mounting.

According to the latest report from Italian outlet Calciomercato, Newcastle United are interested in making a potential move for Johnstone in the winter window. That comes with them keen to bolster their options in the goalkeeping department following the arrival of Eddie Howe as manager.

It has already been previously reported that the likes of Tottenham Hotspur, Southampton and West Ham are interested in making a move for Johnstone as well. That comes with the England international still entering the final stages of his current deal with the Baggies.

So, with Newcastle now joining the race for Johnstone, we asked some of our FLW writers whether they feel it would be a good signing for them to make…

Chris Thorpe

I think he would be a great signing for the Magpies but at the same time I’m not sure he’s a player that they need right now.

They already have Martin Dubravka and Karl Darlow at their disposal, so I think getting a new keeper in would make little sense.

Of course, Johnstone is nearing the end of his contract at West Brom, which does make him a more attractive option for clubs.

But overall this would be a confusing move from Eddie Howe and his staff in January.

Personally, I think Johnstone will only go to a club where he is guaranteed to start and achieve something worthwhile.

Adam Jones

Sam Johnstone would not only be a good signing for the current Newcastle team, but also for a more competitive team in the future that’s challenging for Europe.

The 28-year-old is more than capable of stepping up to the Premier League as shown last season, and as an England international, is more than capable of performing on the biggest stage.

He has the ability to make the odd error, but the same can happen with most goalkeepers and when you weigh up all of his performances over the years, you know he can be relied upon between the sticks.

The Three Lions man is reasonably comfortable with the ball at his feet – but his shot-stopping skills stand out for many people and considering he’s available for a free transfer this summer – this is a race they need to win.

With this, the club’s shareholders can invest more money in other areas in their quest to become a world-class side.

Marcus Ally

The Magpies are pretty stacked when it comes to goalkeeping options but with the arguable exception of Martin Dubravka, none of them really seem like top-quality Premier League glovesmen.

Freddie Woodman has bided his time patiently at St James’ Park and started the season as the club’s number one before picking up an injury. It would be pretty tough for him to stomach if Johnstone is to march in ahead of him in the pecking order.

Johnstone however has proven himself as a top-flight level goalkeeper and provides value in the market when it comes to negotiating a transfer fee due to his contract running out at the end of the season.

It would be a good signing for the Magpies but really they should be more concerned about their offensive contingent.