Aston Villa manager, Steve Bruce, is heavily impressed by Sam Johnstone’s professionalism.
Aston Villa’s Sam Johnstone
Aston Villa manager, Steve Bruce, has hailed goalkeeper, Sam Johnstone, saying the 24-year-old is a ‘diamond’. He is thrilled with Johnstone’s progress and has praised his professionalism.
Johnstone joined Villa on loan from Manchester United till the end of the 2016-17 campaign. That he was a top class goalkeeper was known, but what he desperately needed was games under his belt.
The 24-year-old started his youth career with United, but is yet to play a single game for the Red Devils. He has been loaned to Scunthorpe United, Walsall, Yeovil Town, Doncaster Rovers and Preston North before joining Villa.
“Sam is playing. We’ve seen him grow just by playing. We all knew he was a top class goalkeeper and he’s looking the part now,” Bruce said, as quoted by the club’s official website.
“He’s a goalkeeper and everyone needs a bit of confidence. With Sam he just needed to play.
“It’s a specialised position where you have to be patient. Goalkeepers go on until they’re 40 and they’re late starters. The more you play the better you become.
“He’s starting to look the part as everyone told me he was. He’s a diamond. He’s first in and last out at the training ground.”
Under the tutelage of Bruce he is playing with great confidence. He has been in tremendous form over the past few weeks, and has kept five clean sheets in six games for the claret and blues.
Last year in October, Johnstone extended his contract at Manchester United till June 2018. Bruce is eager to keep hold of him beyond the summer, and will try to persuade Jose Mourinho to sell the player on a permanent deal.
“I don’t know about permanent. I will speak to Mourinho when he has five minutes,” he added.
It is almost impossible to dislodge David de Gea in the starting XI at Manchester United, so even if Johnstone returns to Old Trafford, he won’t be getting enough games. For the growth and development of his career, a permanent switch to Villa Park seems the best possible solution.
General view of Villa Park
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
