MY ACCOUNT
West Ham have a job on their hands when it comes to keeping hold of Ben Johnson.
The highly-rated right-back is a man in demand — and reportedly turned down a substantial new contract offer at the London Stadium last month.
But why is the 22-year-old Hammers ace attracting so much attention? And where could he end up if he does leave the club this summer?
As David Moyes’ men prepare for the first leg of their Europa League last-16 clash at Sevilla this evening, we shine a spotlight on one of the club’s most exciting prospects.
A footballing family
Johnson is not the first in his family to make the grade in the professional game. He is the nephew of former Manchester United and England right-back Paul Parker — and is also the cousin of Tottenham legend Ledley King.
Having started out as a winger, Johnson took after his uncle as a teenager, converting to his now familiar defensive role.
Born in Waltham Forest, he joined West Ham at the age of seven and rose through the ranks to make his senior debut in a 1-0 Premier League loss at Manchester City in February 2019.
Time to shine
Johnson is still breaking through — last Saturday’s appearance against Liverpool was only his 21st league start — but he is seizing his opportunities.
And he has been handed another chance to impress due to the absence of regular right-back Vladimir Coufal, who could potentially be out for an extended period following groin surgery.
As a result, the Irons’ No31 looks to be in line for one of the most important games of his career so far this evening.
Like a number of his team-mates, he has never featured in a European knockout contest — and it could be his biggest chance to impress yet.
Giving back to the boss
While he has reportedly rejected a new long-term deal, Johnson spoke in January of his desire to repay the trust Moyes has placed in him.
He said: “For me, I feel like he has a lot of faith in me and I have a lot of confidence in him on the training pitch and in games.
“He’s been great with me and given me the opportunity in games to show what I can do. He’s put me in different positions and that shows real faith and is testament to him and to me as well, that I can play in different positions and start for his side.
“I just want to repay the faith and put in good performances for him and for me.”
West Ham will be hoping Johnson’s sentiment holds true, despite recent rumours of an exit.
Getting stuck in
The modern full-back can probably be considered as an attacking player as much as a defensive one — but statistically, Johnson stands out most for his combative qualities.
He ranks fifth among right-backs for both interceptions (1.58 per 90 minutes) and headed clearances (also 1.58 per 90) in the Premier League this season.
Johnson likes to get stuck in, as highlighted by his average of 1.99 tackles per 90 in all competitions — the highest of any Hammers defender.
Gunners frontrunners
Arsenal appear to be leading the race to sign Johnson, who has also been linked with Tottenham and Liverpool.
While his ability to operate in either full-back position may lead to increased interest, a move to Anfield seems unlikely due to the competition he would face.
After all, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson are two of the very best full-backs in world football.
And with Antonio Conte employing a back three at Spurs, the Emirates feels like the most obvious move. That said, the Gunners signed promising right-back Takehiro Tomiyasu last summer.
Johnson may well be best off staying put for at least a little while longer.
