Sources: Everton set sights on signing West Ham star Ben Johnson
Everton are plotting a move to sign West Ham defender Ben Johnson, sources have told Football Insider.
Incoming Goodison Park manager Sean Dyche has sanctioned a move for the 23-year-old as he is a big admirer of his versatility and proven Premier League calibre.
Johnson, who can play both right-back and left-back, rejected a long-term West Ham contract extension last year, with his current deal set to expire in the summer of 2024.
Johnson has subsequently slipped down the pecking order at the London Stadium and last started a league match in late October.
He has made 16 appearances in all competitions for West Ham this season, but only six of those have been starts in the Premier League.
Johnson has only ever played in claret and blue having joined the Hammers academy back in 2007.
After 11 years of rising through the ranks of the youth setup, Johnson was handed his first professional contract at the club just after turning 18 years old.
He had to wait another year before making his Premier League debut when he started at left-back in a 1-0 defeat against reigning champions Manchester City.
Johnson made a further three league appearances in the 2019/20 season before becoming a regular part of the Hammers squad and making 34 further appearances across the next two seasons.
However, the arrival of Vladimir Coufal and Emerson in recent seasons has limited opportunities at West Ham, and Johnson has had to accept a squad role within David Moyes’ side.
In other news, Football Insider sources reveal Everton star Joseph Anderson is undergoing Sunderland medical after terms agreed