As to the Sunday Mirror, West Ham United has made another attempt to guarantee Ben Johnson’s future at the organization.
The Mirror’s Darren Witcoop reports on page 49 of their newspaper [May 12] that Johnson, who will shortly become a free agent, is prepared to reject the Hammers’ last contract offer in the face of interest from Rangers and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
With David Moyes ready to leave the London Stadium to be replaced by former Wolves boss Julen Lopetegui, Johnson could be set to follow him out the exit door after starting just four Premier League matches this term.
The 24-year-old has come through the ranks at his boyhood club but now looks to be ready to seek a new challenge, and his versatility has appealed to numerous potential suitors.
Time for a new chapter for Ben Johnson
The case with ultra-versatile players such as Johnson is that they will always be offered new deals at their club, but often just to be used as a secondary option in several positions, and Johnson has understandably reached the end of his patience.
The fact West Ham tried to sell the full-back in January in a last-ditch attempt to bring in a small fee for a player with six months of his deal to run tells you all you need to know.
Structural changes at the London Stadium – not least the managerial switch – are unlikely to deter Johnson from heading elsewhere for first-team football.
It looks increasingly likely that the England Under-21 player is nearing the conclusion of his Hammers career with the additional incentives of a sizable signing-on fee and a long-term contract as a free agent this summer.
Now that Johnson’s contracts are about to expire, Wolves, along with Rangers, Southampton, and Leeds United, are among the teams expressing serious interest in signing him. Everton is also a contender.
