Sam Johnstone, the backup goalkeeper for England, will miss Euro 2024 due to surgery this morning.
The news comes as a huge shock to head coach Gareth Southgate as the Crystal Palace goalkeeper becomes England’s first injury casualty ahead of the competition.
Johnstone would have gone to the tournament as Jordan Pickford’s backup, but his strong performances for the Selhurst Park club this season had elevated him to the verge of a near-certain spot in Southgate’s final squad for Germany this summer.
However, Johnstone will miss the remainder of the campaign due to an unintentional elbow injury he sustained on Sunday during England’s pre-match warm-up against Belgium, which he was supposed to start. The issue was sustained by the 31-year-old while saving a shot.
Johnstone will undergo surgery on Wednesday to correct the damage before going into a recuperation phase, which means he won’t be ready for the European Championships.
Johnstone receives the news with great sorrow, reportedly feeling crushed by the terrible turn of events.
Johnstone’s recovery from the operation is anticipated to take three to four months.
At Palace, there was optimism that Johnstone’s injury wasn’t serious when word of his departure from the England squad surfaced on Sunday night.
However, after seeing a specialist on Monday, it was determined that the problem—which has caused Johnstone’s forearm to separate from the base of his elbow—was much more serious.
Dean Henderson will now have to take Johnstone’s spot at Palace for the balance of the season.
It remains to be seen, though, how Southgate will handle the summer without Johnstone.
The former West Brom player was well-positioned to travel to Germany as Pickford’s backup, especially with Nick Pope’s long-term injury at Newcastle and Aaron Ramsdale’s absence from Arsenal.
In place of Johnstone, Southgate added Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford to his roster on Sunday. Should Johnstone be unable to demonstrate his fitness, Jack Butland may be a possibility.
