Man United Eye Sam Johnstone as Backup Keeper and the Wolves Fee Is Key

Manchester United is circling Wolverhampton Wanderers goalkeeper Sam Johnstone. And the logic here is pretty straightforward.

Johnstone came up through United’s academy. He knows the club. He helps with homegrown registration rules. And with Andre Onana heading back to Trabzonspor on loan, the Red Devils need someone reliable behind Senne Lammens. So a 33-year-old veteran who won’t complain about sitting on the bench? That fits a pattern United has used for years.

Lee Grant. Jack Butland. Tom Heaton. United loves collecting experienced backup keepers who won’t cause drama. Johnstone would be the latest.

The question is what Wolves want for him. They paid Crystal Palace £10 million just two years ago. Johnstone has two years left on his deal. But he’s only made 19 league appearances for Wolves since arriving. Injuries hurt his case last season. He spent the final 14 games on the bench. That’s not exactly a ringing endorsement.

Wolves have a decision to make

Wolves got relegated last season. They’re heading to the Championship for the first time in eight years. New manager Cesar Peixoto has already brought in Raul Jimenez and Kieran Trippier to add experience. But the goalkeeping situation at Molineux has been messy for a while.

Jose Sa, Daniel Bentley and Johnstone have all taken turns in goal. Nobody has locked it down. Peixoto hasn’t named his number one yet. But if United comes with a decent offer, Wolves might just take it and move on.

Johnstone joined Wolves expecting to compete. He’s started roughly a quarter of the games he’s been available for. That’s not what you want from a £10 million investment. Selling him now lets Wolves recoup something before his value drops further.

United’s interest makes sense on multiple levels

According to talkSPORT, United wants Johnstone specifically as a backup. Not a starter. Not a challenger. A safety net. That’s a role Johnstone has played before. He’s been around enough clubs — Preston, Aston Villa, West Brom, Crystal Palace, now Wolves — to understand what being a second or third choice looks like.

And with Lammens clearly the guy at Old Trafford now, United doesn’t need drama in the goalkeeper room. They need someone who can step in if Lammens gets hurt but won’t cause a fuss if he doesn’t play for weeks at a time. Johnstone fits that description.

Whether Wolves actually lets him go is another story. Peixoto might want to keep him around as a veteran presence in the Championship. But if United offers, say, £5-6 million? That’s probably enough to get a deal done. Wolves need to balance the books after relegation. A smaller fee now beats losing him for nothing later.

For now Johnstone is still a Wolves player. But with United lurking and the window open, this one feels like it’s got legs. We’ll see how serious the interest gets in the next few weeks.