Report: Sunderland eye out-of-contract Manchester United goalkeeper Max Johnstone

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The Championship’s bottom club Sunderland want Manchester United’s Max Johnstone, the younger brother of Aston Villa shot-stopper Sam.

There are a whole host of reasons why Sunderland have been relegated for a second successive season and will now be playing League One football next season.

But a string of horrific goalkeeping errors is right up there near the top. The Black Cats sold Vito Mannone and Jordan Pickford last summer and then proceeded to bring in Jason Steele, Robbin Ruiter and, perhaps the worst of the lot, Lee Camp.

All three have cost Sunderland points and countless goals with poor handling, rookie errors and bizarre red cards.

So it is no surprise that manager Chris Coleman has made signing a new goalkeeper an absolute top priority as he prepares for one of the most difficult and daunting seasons in Sunderland’s history.

And according to ESPN, Sunderland are keen on a Manchester United shot-stopper called Johnstone. But, no, it is not the excellent 24-year-old starring on loan at Aston Villa and wanted by Tottenham Hotspur, according to The Sun.

Instead, the Wearsiders are keen on Sam’s 19-year-old younger brother Max. A regular in United’s U18s who has also played for the U23s, Max Johnstone is set to leave this summer when his contract expires with Sunderland, Cardiff City and local neighbours Bury all interested.

In reality, the 19-year-old would be one for the future rather than the immediate solution to Sunerland’s goalkeeping problems.

If the deal comes off, Johnstone would join fellow former Manchester United youngsters Donald Love, Paddy McNair and John O’Shea at the Stadium of Light.