Monk to table £3m+ bid for PL rising star after Leeds express interest - report
By Danny Wright
Middlesbrough manager Garry Monk is set to table an offer for Manchester United goalkeeper Sam Johnstone, according to a report.
The Daily Mail claims that the ex-Leeds boss is keen on striking a deal for Premier League club's rising star and is plotting a bid worth at least £3million.
It is also understood that Leeds had expressed an interest in the 24-year-old shot-stopper, but are now pursuing Werder Bremen's Felix Wiedwald instead.
Johnstone, 24, spent the second half of last season on loan in the Championship with Aston Villa, and after a slow start, made a series of impressive performances as he kept eight clean sheets in 22 appearances.
The Mail says that Villa are one of the teams interested in snapping up Johnstone, but Premier League side's such as West Brom, Leicester and Huddersfield also have him on their radar as the new season approaches.
Football Insider Verdict
Johnstone showed at Villa Park that he has the capability to be a top performer in the Championship and one day even become a Premier League No 1. However Old Trafford isn't the right place for him to be right now, as he is well down the pecking order with David De Gea and Sergio Romero among the ranks. Leeds look like they have chosen to take the cheap option too, but that isn't really a bad thing. Wiedwald will cost the Whites just a fraction of what Monk is preparing to spend at the Riverside on Johnstone, and has been playing consistently in the Bundesliga for Werder Bremen, meaning that he is more than capable of helping Leeds in their bid for promotion next season.
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