It has been an eventful summer for Crystal Palace including incomings and departures aplenty – with Michael Olise the biggest name to depart.
The France U23 international opted to leave Selhurst Park for Bayern Munich in a £50.8m deal – and now, another player believes his career is best served away from Crystal Palace.
So, who else wants to leave Selhurst Park as Marc Guehi also nears a move to Newcastle? Let’s take a look…
Sam Johnstone asks to leave Crystal Palace
A story from The Athletic now states that Sam Johnstone has asked to leave Crystal Palace.
The England international’s decision comes after Oliver Glasner informed him that Dean Henderson would be starting the 2024/25 campaign as his No.1 goalkeeper.
It is said that the Austrian ideally would have preferred to keep Johnstone, although Crystal Palace have agreed to help the £43,000-a-week glovesman find a new club, on the basis that enough time is left to sign a replacement, and the money is right.
The Athletic believe Crystal Palace want £10m to sell the man from Preston – who arrived on a free transfer back in July 2022.
Leicester, Nottingham Forest, Southampton and Wolves are all said to be keen on signing Johnstone after hearing the news.
The 31-year-old made 20 Premier League appearances last season, keeping six clean sheets before a serious elbow injury allowed Henderson to take the No.1 spot in March.
Dougie Freedman already has a replacement in mind
Dougie Freedman is no fool, and has seemingly prepared for this moment already.
The Glaswegian clearly had a hunch that Guehi would depart, as Chadi Riad was signed early on in the transfer window in a bargain £14m deal from Real Betis.
Now, with Johnstone also looking set to leave, a move for Plymouth No.1 Michael Cooper could be explored.
Respected journalist Alan Nixon recently claimed that Freedman would submit a bid for the 24-year-old if the Crystal Palace No.1 left SE25.
READ MORE: What Jean-Philippe Mateta did during contract talks at Crystal Palace
Therefore, if a buyer is found for Johnstone, we would expect that deal for Cooper – who knows Crystal Palace are interested – to progress.
