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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
Simon Collings

Crystal Palace eye Sam Johnstone deal after Tottenham switch focus to Fraser Forster in goalkeeper hunt

Crystal Palace are the latest club to express an interest in signing England goalkeeper Sam Johnstone.

Johnstone is a free agent this summer after West Brom confirmed on Tuesday that he would be leaving the club when his contract expires at the end of June.

The 29-year-old has been watched by several clubs, who have all been aware that he was unlikely to pen fresh terms at The Hawthorns.

Tottenham were one of those clubs tracking Johnstone as they aimed to sign a homegrown goalkeeper this summer, but have instead swooped for Southampton’s Fraser Forster.

Johnstone, who has been capped three times at senior level by England, is still attracting plenty of interest, however, and Crystal Palace are one of those teams tracking him.

The Eagles hold a long-term interest in the ‘keeper and first scouted him five years ago when he was deciding to leave Manchester United.

England goalkeeper Sam Johnstone will not sign a new contract at West Brom (Getty Images)

Johnstone spent a year on loan at Aston Villa before joining West Brom in the summer of 2018, but Palace have kept tabs on him since then.

Vicente Guaita is currently the Eagles’ No1, but Johnstone could come in and battle to be the Spaniard’s long-term successor.

Guaita, who turned 35 in January, is currently happy at Selhurst Park, though has revealed a desire to return to Spain one day.

“I’m very comfortable in the Premier League, it’s amazing how you live football here,” he told AS in April.

“I have less and less years left and I don’t know if I will have those years to be able to return to Spain.

“Speaking honestly, I would like to return to Valencia. I think I could have played for many years at Valencia.

“Being a Valencianista, leaving the club, how can I not want to return to Valencia?”

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