Update provided on Southampton’s transfer pursuit of West Brom man

Premier League club Southampton remain interested in West Bromwich Albion goalkeeper Sam Johnstone but also have other targets in mind as they look to strengthen this department in the summer, as per The Sun.

The south-coast outfit’s interest dates back to last year with the 29-year-old coming into the final year of his contract at The Hawthorns, a deal that is set to come to an end in a few months unless he can agree fresh terms at the Championship side.

But with the Baggies looking set to remain in the second tier beyond this season and the goalkeeper hoping to win a place on the plane to Qatar as part of England’s squad for the World Cup later this year, it looks as though he will be leaving the West Midlands on the expiration of his contract.

And he isn’t likely to receive a shortage of offers from elsewhere, with Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United, Newcastle United and West Ham all thought to be interested in pursuing his signature with the former now confident of winning the race.

However, he may only be a backup option at the interested quartet with Hugo Lloris, David de Gea, Martin Dubravka and Lukasz Fabianski remaining at their respective clubs.

The Hammers may also trigger a permanent option to bring Alphonse Areola to the London Stadium on a longer-term basis, potentially opening the door for the Saints to strike an agreement with the England international.

However, Ralph Hasenhuttl’s men are also thought to have other irons in the fire as well and this could be a blow for Johnstone who may have one less option to choose from in the summer because of that.

The Verdict:

Out of the current interested sides, the south-coast outfit has to be Johnstone’s best option at this stage with the offer of top-tier