Steve Bruce confirms Aston Villa will attempt to sign Manchester United’s Sam Johnstone

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Aston Villa goalkeeper Sam Johnstone has joined on loan from Manchester United for the season.

Steve Bruce has told the Birmingham Mail that Aston Villa will attempt to sign Sam Johnstone from Manchester United on a permanent transfer.

Johnstone is currently enjoying his second spell on loan at Villa, and the young goalkeeper has impressed.

Johnstone has been a regular with Villa this season, and he has become a real fans’ favourite at the Midlands club.

At the moment, the 24-year-old is due to return to United at the end of the season, but Bruce insists Villa will be attempting to keep him for the long-term.

“We will do everything in our power (to buy him from Manchester United),” Bruce said. “He’s got another year left on his United deal but he’s going to find it difficult to break through there because of what they’ve got.

“Players like that need to find a platform.”

Bruce has also confirmed that he wants to sign Josh Onomah from Tottenham Hotspur recently.

If Johnstone does return to United, his chances of playing first-team football look limited, with David De Gea and Sergio Romero both ahead of him in the pecking order at Old Trafford.

At Villa, though, Johnstone has firmly established himself as Bruce’s number one stopper.

Johnstone helped Villa pick up a 2-1 victory over Fulham in their most recent match, which has helped lift them up to fifth in the Championship table.