July 1, (THEWILL) – Sam Johnstone, a former goalkeeper for West Bromwich Albion, has been signed by Crystal Palace on a free transfer.
The English goalkeeper left The Hawthorns this summer and had garnered interest from clubs all across the Premier League, including Manchester United and Tottenham, both of which were eager to provide the 29-year-old a backup position in their respective squads.
However, Johnstone chose Palace instead, where he would contend with Vicente Guaita for the starting goalkeeper position. Speaking after signing a four-year contract at Selhurst Park, he said: “I’m really excited to be here at Crystal Palace. It’s a great club with fantastic facilities and brilliant supporters – I can’t wait to get started.”
Steve Parish, Palace Chairman, also had good things to say of Johnstone: “Sam is a player that we have admired for some time, and we are extremely pleased to welcome him to Crystal Palace. His extensive experience at club and international level, alongside his outstanding ability, will add even greater depth to our goalkeeping unit.”
Following the Derby acquisition of talented forward Malcolm Ebiowei, Johnstone is Palace’s second summer addition.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
