(Credit: Manh Tung, Breaking Media, Imago)

Evan Shaw

Fri 27 March 2026 9:45, UK

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Crystal Palace winger Brennan Johnson has found himself in the firing line yet again after Wales were beaten by Bosnia and Herzegovina on Thursday night.

Craig Bellamy’s side conceded late to draw 1-1 in their World Cup play-off semi-final, before Johnson was one of two Wales stars to miss as they tasted defeat in the penalty shootout.

The former Tottenham Hotspur man had played the entire 120 minutes on the left wing, but was unable to make a major impact on the game, as he created just one chance and failed to register a single shot on target.

The 24-year-old is still waiting for his first goal in a Palace shirt after his £35million move across London back in January, and that transfer has already received its fair share of criticism.

Johnson has not been able to have the impact that was expected of him at Selhurst Park, and the same could certainly be said for his latest international display.

Journalist rips into Brennan Johnson as Crystal Palace fans proven right

Crystal Palace fans fumed at Johnson after their 1-1 draw against 10-man Nottingham Forest on 1 February, as they delivered the verdict that he has made “absolutely zero impact” since joining the club.

That has continued in recent weeks as the forward has settled into his new surroundings, with a solitary assist against Manchester United the only thing to show for his 11 Premier League appearances for the Eagles so far.

The chance to go and represent his country in a crucial game would have come as a welcome break for Johnson this week, but that quickly turned sour as he skied an important penalty in the shootout.

However, his performance during the game also left a lot to be desired, as journalist Nathan Salt labelled him “completely anonymous” in a post on his X account.

Salt suggested that serious questions needed to be asked of Johnson, while sharing his stats from the 120 minutes, as he clearly felt that a player of his calibre needed to produce more.

That “completely anonymous” verdict has been a familiar tagline for the former Forest man in recent years, as even Tottenham fans were frustrated with his inconsistency during his time in North London.

His ability to play on the fringes of games has continued since his move to Selhurst Park, and Palace’s decision to splash £35m on him is continuing to look worse with every passing day.

Could Johnson’s future at Selhurst already be in doubt?

Johnson has quickly fallen down the pecking order at his new club, with the likes of Ismaila Sarr and Evann Guessand preferred to start on the wings in recent weeks.

Oliver Glasner has experimented by using the Welshman in a wing-back role as a result, but that too has achieved little success so far.

The Palace hierarchy will surely now be worried that their investment may never come off, and that is likely to immediately place question marks over the winger’s future in South London.

Given his hefty pricetag, it won’t be easy for them to offload Johnson any time soon, but they will surely have an eye on doing so across the next 12 months.

Some transfers simply appear doomed to fail from the very beginning, and there is little indication that Johnson is about to catch fire at his new club.