Leeds pursuing £5m-rated Manchester United goalkeeper Sam Johnstone would be a mistake

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Leeds United have been linked with a summer move for Manchester United goalkeeper Sam Johnstone.

Sam Johnstone is reportedly on Leeds’ radar

A report from the Daily Mail has suggested that Leeds are one of the clubs who are interested in signing Manchester United goalkeeper Sam Johnstone this summer. But given what it could take to sign the stopper, and what the Whites already have available, it would arguably be a mistake for the club to pursue a deal for the 24-year-old.

Leeds currently have Rob Green, Marco Silvestri and Bailey Peacock-Farrell to pick from in the goalkeeping department, with the former cementing himself as the number one during his first year at Elland Road.

Rob Green is arguably good enough to be Leeds’ number one for another year

Though Green is reaching the twilight of his career, he is arguably good enough to remain the side’s number one for another year if he is able to replicate the form he showed last year.

Meanwhile, the other pair are surely strong enough to provide the cover for Green that makes a move for Johnstone seem unnecessary.

The Mail reports that United are willing to sell the academy graduate, but they want £5 million for him, which would make him one of Leeds’ most expensive signings since they fell out of the Premier League, and judging by the division that he appeared to cause amongst some Aston Villa fans during his loan spell this past season, anyone willing to pay that fee is taking a big gamble.

Johnstone struggled to win over all of the supporters during his loan spell at Aston Villa

Though he kept a number of clean sheets with the Villans, his critics amongst the Villa Park faithful were never won over by his displays.

Leeds surely do not need to spend £5 million on another stopper for this coming campaign – especially when other areas of the squad arguably need more attention – but if they did decide to spend that kind of money, they should surely be setting their sights on a goalkeeper who should have no problem moving ahead of Green in the pecking order, and it could be argued that Johnstone is not that man.