How Burnley, Chelsea, Everton and Stoke stars can show Sam Johnstone why he should leave Manchester United for Aston Villa.
Steve Bruce, manager of Aston Villa, during the Sky Bet Championship match against Bristol City.
“We will do everything in our power to get him here permanently,” Aston Villa manager Steve Bruce was quoted by the Express about the prospect of signing goalkeeper Sam Johnstone on a permanent basis from Manchester United.
The 24-year-old had just put in another fine display while on loan from Old Trafford as the Villans moved up to fifth in the Championship after beating Fulham 2-1 at home.
Aston Villa goalkeeper Sam Johnstone celebrates his team’s opening goal during the Sky Bet Championship match against Burton Albion.
Bruce is keen to sign Johnstone in the January transfer window, but although his current contract with the Red Devils expires next summer there is the option to extend that by another 12 months – reports the Manchester Evening News – and there is a feeling the stopper still holds onto the prospect of breaking into Jose Mourinho’s first team.
This is despite the fact David de Gea, Sergio Romero and Joel Pereira are all currently ahead of him in the pecking order for a place between the sticks and in truth, perhaps looking to other United academy products who have succeeded because of getting more regular game time after leaving would be a good thing.
All four of Everton’s Michael Keane, Stoke City captain Ryan Shawcross, Chelsea new signing of Danny Drinkwater and Tom Heaton of Burnley earned senior England caps after leaving Man United.
Tom Heaton of Burnley during the Premier League match against Crystal Palace.
Like Johnstone, neither Drinkwater or Heaton made a first team appearance before leaving the 20-time English champions, while Keane and Shawcross managed just five and two respectively.
Therefore, while it may feel like a risk to depart one of the biggest clubs in the country, as the four aforementioned players have shown, if it leads to consistent matches elsewhere then it is what has to be done.
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