It is probably safe to say that the signing of Sam Johnstone by Wolves did not go down well with absolutely everybody.
Johnstone sealed his move to Molineux on transfer deadline day, with Wolves forking out around £10 million to lure him from Crystal Palace.
Johnstone had lost his place to Dean Henderson last season at Selhurst Park, and earlier this summer there were reports that he had expressed a desire to leave the club.
Wolves had Johnstone on their radar for a while and, amid speculation about the future of Jose Sa, finally decided to move for the 31-year-old.
Johnstone was confirmed as a new Wolves player last Friday, and was then handed his debut by Gary O’Neil 24 hours or so later against Nottingham Forest, with Sa being left out of the matchday squad.
Sam Johnstone arrival could spell the end for Jose Sa
It now remains to be seen what will happen with Jose Sa.
The Portuguese stopper has been strongly linked with a move to Saudi Arabia, and their window closes today.
O’Neil did leave him out against Forest on Saturday after he’d had an ‘unsettling’ period, but the manager has also talked about the pair competing for the number one shirt.
So Sa could still be a Wolves player beyond today.
It seems as though Johnstone will eventually become the club’s new number one though, so what can Wolves fans expect? Molineux News caught up with big Eagles fan, journalist and managing editor of We Are Palace Billy Meyers to get the lowdown.
Top expert shares why Crystal Palace were content to sell Sam Johnstone
Wolves signing Johnstone has raised a few eyebrows – but he is a player Wolves have kept tabs on for a while according to sporting director Matt Hobbs.
He became available a few weeks ago, and Meyers suggests there were a couple of reasons for Palace and Oliver Glasner being content for him to leave.
He said: “The only reason Crystal Palace seemed content to sell the England international was due to the fact he arrived for free and £10m could be made from a sale, while we also already own another top goalkeeper who is four years younger in Dean Henderson – the PSR benefits of selling a freebie for £10m are there for all to see.”
Johnstone ‘very rarely delivers less than 7/10 performances’
Some Wolves fans have not been too moved by the signing of Johnstone, at least before he put in a solid first display against Forest at the weekend.
But it would seem Wolves fans can probably come to expect such displays on a regular basis.
Some feel Johnstone would not be too much of an upgrade on Sa, but Meyers informs us that the four-cap England international is generally very dependable; he commands his area well and also has great reflexes.
He said: “Wolves fans can expect a ‘keeper who very rarely delivers less than 7/10 performances on a weekly basis in Sam Johnstone.
“Some Crystal Palace fans even prefer Johnstone to Henderson to this day, which shows how well he portrayed himself in his 34 appearances – in which he kept 11 clean sheets.
“The man from Preston often displays great reflexes and commands his area well, never really showing any signs of weakness during his time at Selhurst Park.”
Meyers does add that Johnstone is not quite as good a distributor as Henderson, which is interesting to consider given the narrative around Sa, with some coaches feeling his distribution and ball-playing aren’t at the levels required.
‘A top signing for Wolves’
But Meyers feels this is a good signing for Wolves overall.
“Perhaps the main trait Henderson has over Johnstone is his distribution, showing more awareness when it comes to long throws and passes that can ignite counter-attacks, something the new Wolves glovesman is unlikely to suddenly add to his game at this stage of his career,” he added.
“A top signing for Wolves at £10m nonetheless, especially when the likes of Robert Sanchez and Aaron Ramsdale have moved for £25m in recent times.”
Time will tell if Johnstone proves to be good value. But between his debut against Forest and this verdict from Meyers, the skeptics may now be feeling a little more comfortable.
Nelson Semedo has already said Johnstone looks like he’s been at Wolves for a while, so hopefully he does make for a great addition.