Everton are now joining the race for West Bromwich Albion goalkeeper Sam Johnstone in a move that will evoke memories for Preston North End fans.
Johnstone is out of contract at West Brom this summer and is being left out of the squad ahead of his impending exit.
Premier League clubs are keen and it’s expected that Johnstone will be signing for Tottenham Hotspur on a free transfer.
Yet there is a new suitor in the race with The Mirror reporting that Everton now want to sign Johnstone too.
Tottenham still think they’re in the lead but Everton are now a major contender in the race for Johnstone’s signature.
Now, that may mean that Johnstone replaces number one goalkeeper Jordan Pickford or works alongside him; either way, it was Preston connections throughout.
Johnstone spent the second half of the 2014-15 season on loan at Preston, helping North End win promotion from League One.
The Preston-born stopper didn’t concede a single goal in the playoff campaign and has gone on to become an England international.
When Preston couldn’t keep hold of Johnstone in the summer of 2015, North End turned to Pickford.
Pickford joined on loan from Sunderland for the season but was recalled early having excelled in a Preston shirt.
Seeing Johnstone and then Pickford in goal throughout 2015 was a privilege as a Preston fan.
They’re two of the best goalkeepers we will ever see at North End and it’s no shock that they have both turned out for England.
The key man here is Alan Kelly. Kelly was Preston’s goalkeeping coach at the time, helping develop Johnstone and then Pickford brilliantly.
Kelly’s work has always been appreciated by Preston fans and he is now the current goalkeeping coach at… you guessed it, Everton!
Kelly seemingly wants to reunite with Johnstone, his fellow Preston-born stopper, and really push Pickford at Goodison Park.
That will be quite the sight for Preston fans, who were spoiled in 2015 and may now see the two fight it out at Everton next season and beyond.