Report: Southampton turned down the deal and signed 23-year-old Prem Ace
Southampton missed the chance to sign Ben Johnson this summer after Premier League club West Ham United charged a “heavy loan fee” for the England Under-21 defender.
And that really feels a bit unfortunate.
A player who was on the bench for West Ham United’s first three Premier League games and was left out of the squad altogether for the fourth – Friday’s 2-1 win at Luton Town – feels out of the pecking order further down Now than he did when he was a far less experienced player.
A short-term stint at Southampton, meanwhile, would have brought Ben Johnson the kind of regular first-team spells that West Ham no longer seem to be on the table, while also giving the 23-year-old a chance to improve his performance-ball work under the ball-obsessed Russell Martin.
However, talks between the two clubs broke down; Southampton ‘reluctant’ to meet West Ham’s demands for quite hefty loan fee (the athlete).
As a result, Johnson could be forced to wait until winter for a resolution to a situation that is of little use to anyone.
Southampton are missing out on West Ham star Ben Johnson
The London-born defender is currently set to become a free agent in 2024. And barring the decision to turn down a new contract at the London Stadium, West Ham may be left with no choice but to prioritize permanent offers in the January window.
“Well, I don’t want Ben to go,” Moyes said Sky Sports in August. “But we offered Ben a contract about a year and a half ago and we haven’t been able to reach an agreement on it.
“But he’s a great boy. i really like him I really hope he stays. He’s come through West Ham’s youth system and there’s no way we’d want to lose him if we can avoid it. But there is another side to football: they know contracts etc. and make sure that people are looked after.
“I had a good chat with Ben about this at the end of last season and we really want him to stay.”
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