BBC pundit lauds ‘great’ £20m Leeds target during England – Wales match

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Ian Rush was full of praise tonight for Nottingham Forest attacker Brennan Johnson, with the Wales legend lauding the reported Leeds United target in their 3-0 2022 FIFA World Cup loss to England.

Speaking on BBC Sport at half-time, the former Liverpool striker was full of lofty words for Johnson as the winger replaced Gareth Bale at the break, with Rush saying upon seeing the Forest star entering the pitch: “I would like to see what this young lad can do in this game. He’s going to be some player this one, he’s a great player.”

Whilst Johnson’s impact was as minimal as every other Welsh player’s on the night, Rush’s praise for the 21-year-old hold some weight, especially ahead of the January transfer window, where the Nottingham-born prospect could seek out a move away from Forest.

The Daily Mail reported in the summer that Leeds were preparing a £20m bid for Johnson. However, as we know, the Wales star opted to remain with Steve Cooper’s side as Forest won promotion to the Premier League are fighting a losing battle to stay out of the relegation zone.

Indeed, whilst it’s unsure yet if Leeds will reignite their interest in Johnson, Forest’s current situation could tempt Jesse Marsch to make a move for the 21-year-old World Cup talent, especially after the winger’s appearances in Qatar and the praise this week from Rush.

Moreover, with Forest looking to spend even more in January, offloading a player for big money could be an appealing business move for the City Ground side, which could tempt Leeds to once again move in for Johnson in the new year.

Brenna Johnson could have won January move had Wales progressed

Wales’ odds of progressing through to the next round were always going to be slim heading into their derby clash with England in Doha. And for Johnson in particular, Rob Page’s side making it into the last 16 could have played a big role in the youngster’s future.

As we know, the attacker has featured heavily for Wales in Qatar and has been used mainly as Bale’s main backup in the competition, and Johnson going far into the tournament with the Dragons could have tempted some suitors to make a move for the forward in the January window.