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Leeds United’s full-back ranks have become significantly lighter since the start of the January transfer window. First, Djed Spence was sent back to Tottenham after his loan spell was cut short, and then Luke Ayling joined Middlesbrough on loan as he approaches the end of his contract this summer.
Predictably, then, Daniel Farke has been looking for reinforcements in that area, and a couple of Premier League players have already cropped up on his radar. Leeds are admirers of Nottingham Forest’s Neco Williams but he’s unlikely to be made available for transfer, while Burnley’s Connor Roberts is also on their radar. And now, a third target in the top-flight has emerged.
Leeds eye Johnson to fill gap
According to The Athletic’s Phil Hay, Championship promotion-chasers Leeds are “interested” in signing West Ham’s Ben Johnson on a temporary deal. One of his biggest assets is his versatility – he can play on either side of the back four and also featured in midfield earlier in his career.
Johnson is a product of West Ham’s academy and is nearing 93 games for the club, but he’s fallen down the pecking order this season. Last year, he played 29 matches in all competitions and featured in 17 Premier League games, nine of which he started. He also made the XI for six of West Ham’s games on their run to Europa Conference League glory.
However, this year, he’s only been involved in six first-team games, and it took until West Ham’s goalless draw with Brighton last time out, their 20th league game of the season, for him to start a top-flight match. His other starts have come in the Europa League against Backa Topola, and the Carabao Cup against Lincoln and Liverpool.
Ben Johnson in all competitions for West Ham |
This season |
Last season |
---|---|---|
Appearances |
6 |
29 |
Starts |
4 |
21 |
Minutes played |
365 |
1,925 |
Having logged some action with the under-21s at Premier League 2 and EFL Trophy level, he’s nearly played as many minutes for the youth team (270) as he has for the senior side (365). Last year, when he was given significantly more game time, Johnson called his standing in the squad “disappointing”, so you can only imagine how he feels about his situation now.
Johnson has shown more than enough talent
Given that he’s been used so little this term, it’s easy to forget just how talented a player Johnson is. Last summer, he was part of the England Under-21 squad that won the European Championship without conceding a single goal, starting two of their games in the group stages.
In terms of individual prizes, meanwhile, he was named West Ham’s Young Player of the Year in both 2020/21 and 2021/22 after what Paul Robinson called an “absolutely brilliant” first-team breakthrough. One of his coaches at the time, Stuart Pearce, added that he was a “wonderful professional”.
It’s worth noting that Johnson’s contract is up in the summer, so West Ham may look to protect his value with a new deal before loaning him out, but once that gets done, it’s hard to see why there’d be any obstacle to a move.
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