Leeds United face a tough task to sign West Ham United defender Ben Johnson this summer as clubs in the Premier League are also vying for his signature, according to reports.
The Whites have been tracking Johnson’s situation at the London Stadium for quite some time as his contract with the Hammers is set to expire at the end of this month. It was even revealed during the January transfer window that Leeds were keen to bring the fullback to Elland Road before the market slammed shut at the beginning of February, although this deal never came to fruition.
Nevertheless, Johnson is still expected to leave the East London club next Sunday after he becomes a free agent, although The Athletic recently reported that West Ham have offered the 24-year-old a new and improved five-year contract as freshly-appointed head coach Julen Lopetegui is keen to keep hold of him. However, so far, the former England U21s international has yet to accept a new deal.
Having lost stalwart Luke Ayling on a free transfer to fellow Championship side Middlesbrough and following interest from the Premier League in rising star Archie Gray, Leeds United are looking to sign Johnson to bolster Daniel Farke’s fullback positions but face competition from teams in the top-flight for the Englishman who boasts a market value of £4.2 million, as per the CIES Football Observatory.
It has been revealed by Mike McGrath in The Telegraph that newly-promoted Premier League side Ipswich Town have joined the race for the out-of-contract defender this summer as Kieran McKenna is keen to bolster his squad ahead of the 2024/25 campaign with players who are proven in the top tier of English football.
Writer’s View
Vladimir Coufal is still West Ham United’s first-choice right-back and this likely won’t change under Lopetegui. Johnson’s decision on his future should come down to where he will most likely receive regular game-time and this is unlikely to happen with the Hammers.
Nevertheless, Leeds United and Ipswich are both interesting prospects but one could easily argue that he has a better chance of playing with the Tractor Boys than the Whites despite being in a better division, particularly if Gray remains at the club ahead of next season.
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