West Ham United postpone contract talks with Ben Johnson – ExWHUemployee
West Ham have postponed contract talks with first-team defender Ben Johnson, according to a fresh report from ExWHUemployee (22 December).
The Hammers triggered a two-year option on the full-back’s contract last year to avoid him leaving the club on a free transfer, with the hope of agreeing a new long-term deal afterwards.
However those talks have now been shelved after an agreement couldn’t be found on wages, leaving the players future at the club up in the air.
Johnson is reported to want a wage increase in line with other first-team full-backs at the club such as Vladimir Coufal and Aaron Cresswell, while West Ham still view him as someone making the step up to Premier League level and believe his wages should reflect that.
Talks are now set to resume in the summer, when Johnson will have just 12 months remaining on his current deal.
Tense
There was always the possibility of a deal not being found between the two parties when West Ham were forced to trigger an option after not being able to agree a deal previously.
Johnson has shown his versatility this season by filling in at centre-back in a back four and a back three as well as being able to play at full-back on both wings.
West Ham’s suggestion that he isn’t a fully-fledged first-team player yet is baffling considering he has made 72 appearances for the club, with 68 of those coming since the start of the 2020/21 season.
While there is reportedly interest in signing a right-back this winter which would put his place in the squad under further threat, the Hammers should be looking at bringing him through for a starting spot and moving on Coufal, who is older and has seen his performances dwindle in recent times.
It’s going to be a tense summer, and an exit now surely cannot be ruled out at the end of the season.