LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 27: A general view inside the stadium as Neal Maupay of Brighton & Hove Albion scores their team's first goal during the Premier League match between West Ham United and Brighton & Hove Albion at London Stadium on December 27, 2020 in London, England. The match will be played without fans, behind closed doors as a Covid-19 precaution. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
BBC Sport reports that Ben Johnson may still sign a new contract with West Ham United.
The full-back’s current contract is slated to expire at the end of the month, but according to a report published on June 4, negotiations are still ongoing to prolong his stay at London Stadium.
The 24-year-old was reportedly connected to Rangers and Leeds United, two teams that were hoping to sign him this summer.
The Scottish team, however, is rumored to “struggle to meet Johnson’s personal terms”—a problem that could recur at Leeds after they were unable to advance from the Championship.
Is Ben Johnson someone West Ham United should try to keep?
This summer, West Ham’s head coach Julen Lopetegui has a major squad overhaul assignment on his shoulders.
The squad that the Spaniard took over from David Moyes is about to face significant changes. Many players are out of contract, and many more will probably be judged inappropriate for Lopetegui’s high-possession style, which is a sharp contrast to the strategies
Johnson only recorded 854 minutes of action across all competitions for the Hammers last season, with first-choice right-back Vladimir Coufal the club’s most-used player, featuring for 4,063 minutes.
However, Johnson is versatile and, at 24, could still be sold at a later date if he fails to force his way into Lopetegui’s plans.
Maintaining the Hammers academy graduate could prove to be a wise commercial decision, especially with the squad in dire need of improvement.
