West Ham United had wanted to bring Stoke City defender Glen Johnson back to the club.
A report in the Daily Mail has suggested that Stoke City could be about to deal West Ham’s hopes of landing Glen Johnson a significant blow.
The Mail reports that the Hammers had wanted to bring the 32-year-old back to the club 13 years after he left for Chelsea as Slaven Bilic looks to bolster his defensive options after a mixed first-half of the campaign.
Stoke City’s Glen Johnson in action with Burnley’s Scott Arfield
While the fact that he had just six months remaining on his contract may have given Bilic hope that a deal could well be reached, the Mail suggests that Stoke are keen to keep hold of the former England international.
And it appears that Johnson may have little say in the matter as the Mail adds that the Potters are able to trigger an extension clause in his contract that would see the defender tied down for another season.
West Ham United manager Slaven Bilic
The news that the Potters could well scupper West Ham’s hopes of landing their former academy graduate is likely to be a blow to Bilic as he looks to make the kind of signings during the January window that will allow the Hammers to put their disappointing start behind them.
However, the Mail reports that the Irons have earmarked former loanee Carl Jenkinson as an alternative target, so perhaps news of Johnson’s potential extension will see the interest in the Arsenal man intensify.
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