David Moyes says he’s desperate to keep West Ham player Ben Johnson but he’s refusing to sign a new deal after talks
David Moyes says he’s desperate to keep West Ham player Ben Johnson but he’s refusing to sign a new deal after talks.
All the focus at West Ham of late has been on signing players in the summer transfer window.
But one player continues to be linked with a move away from the club.
Ben Johnson looked like he might be the answer to West Ham’s full-back issues when he started working under David Moyes.
But he has struggled to establish himself in the side and was widely criticised by West Ham fans for his performances when he did get game time last term.
Utility player Johnson has thus far refused to sign a new deal with the Hammers and talks have been off the table ever since The Athletic revealed the academy graduate had snubbed a six-and-a-half-year contract at the club.
Some West Ham supporters could not believe the club were prepared to offer Johnson such a long-term contract given his failure to impress. And they are even more perplexed that he did not sign it.
Johnson has been linked with a move to the likes of Everton in January and again this summer.
And yesterday there were claims Southampton are eyeing a move for the defender too. Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth said a number of Premier League and Championship clubs are monitoring Johnson’s situation at West Ham.
Johnson’s future was the subject of one of the questions put to Moyes in his pre-match press conference on Friday afternoon.
And Moyes says he’s desperate to keep West Ham player Johnson but he’s refusing to sign a new deal after talks.
“Well I don’t want Ben to go, but we offered Ben a contract maybe a year and a half ago or so and we’ve not been able to get to any point of agreement on it,” Moyes said as broadcast on Sky Sports News at 2.30pm.
“But he’s a great boy, I really like him, I really hope he stays. He came through the youth system at West Ham and we certainly wouldn’t want to lose him if we can help it. But football’s got another side to it, you know contracts etc and making sure people are looked after.
“I had a good conversation with Ben at the end of last season about it and we really do want him to stay.”
Johnson is into the last year of his current West Ham deal.
