‘Ridiculous’ Brennan Johnson claim and Arsenal comparison suggest Tottenham are making mistake
Crystal Palace have reportedly reached an agreement worth around £35million with Tottenham to sign Brennan Johnson.
Johnson was expected to leave Tottenham in the coming months, with the winger struggling for starts under Thomas Frank.
The 24-year-old enjoyed a superb campaign under Ange Postecoglou, and scored the goal that won his side the Europa League in May.
But Tottenham are now prepared to let Johnson leave, with the Wales international evidently not in Frank’s plans.
Football Insider revealed in December that Brentford and Ipswich Town have made moves to sign Johnson, but, according to David Ornstein, Palace appear to have jumped ahead in the race.
Craig Bellamy comments could suggest Tottenham are making a mistake
Johnson was loved by his former manager Postecoglou, who was rewarded for his faith in the winger.
The 24-year-old enjoyed a strong first season at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium following his £47.5m move from Nottingham Forest in 2023, scoring five goals and providing 10 assists in the Premier League.
And last season, the Wales international became a consistent difference-maker for the Australian, netting 18 goals across all competitions as the North London club ended their 17-year wait for a trophy.
Johnson’s winning goal against Manchester United in Bilbao was not pretty – it was bundled in at the near post, and one Andre Onana would not have liked to look back on.
But it was the winning goal, and the difference on a night that many Tottenham fans will never forget.
Johnson started the season well under new manager Frank, scoring against both Burnley and Manchester City, but he has started just three Premier League games in the four months since.
Speaking about the forward, whom he describes as a “ridiculous talent“, in 2024, Wales head coach Craig Bellamy said: “His high intensity is through the roof and he is elite.
“Spurs have paid that money and he could have a bad few years. But if I was in another job and he was worth £80m I’d go and buy him for that.
“Trust me, he’s got every part of football that makes him an elite player. That’s the player I see. Sometimes you hit the ground running at a club straight away, while sometimes it takes longer.
“I remember Robert Pires for a whole season was a waste of money and the next season he wins the player of the year. It can work that way at times.
“Brennan is young and I believe all we are seeing now is what the talent is allowing us to see.”
Is what Bellamy said about Robert Pires true?
Pires’ first months at Arsenal saw the winger struggle to adapt to the Premier League.
He later admitted that the adaptation from the French top flight was brutal, and described his first year at Highbury as a rude awakening.
He would end the season having scored eight goals and provided 13 assists, however, and in Arsenal‘s Premier League title-winning season of 2001-02, the France international exploded.
Pires scored 13 goals and provided 18 assists across all competitions, later establishing himself among Highbury legend in the years before his 2006 departure.
Would Johnson have reached similar heights with Tottenham? Who can say? But his exit will be a controversial one in the minds of some fans.