Manchester United keeper not prime target
While there remains some interest in the shot stopper we have have been told he is a backup option with only a 5% chance of signing the 25-year-old this Summer. Johnstone spent a season on loan with Aston Villa which ended with the Championship play-off final and is said to be valued at £4m by his parent club.
The Hammes are keeping tight-lipped who the primary goalkeeping targets are but reports yesterday suggested a tentative enquiry had been made about Jack Butland. Another report last week suggested Manuel Pellegrini hopes to be reunited with 36-year-old Chelsea goalkeeper Willy Caballero who played at Malaga and City. £10m rated Tom Heaton from Burnley is another name that has cropped up in media reports. Some wilder claims even suggested 40-year-old Gianluigi Buffon would be a target for West Ham. The speculation started after his agent said: “I don’t know if it will be a total farewell to football. He wants two weeks to talk to his family and come to a decision.
“In England, he always really admired West Ham supporters, and even wrote about it in his book.”
Joe Hart has now returned to Manchester City and will not return to West Ham despite his connection to Manuel Pellegrini.