Another West Ham exit could happen in January as Leeds United transfer stance on Ben Johnson shared
Leeds United are interested in signing West Ham defender Ben Johnson on loan in the January transfer window, according to The Athletic.
The news outlet reported on its website on Thursday (11 January) that the Championship club are on the lookout for a new right-back after a deal has been agreed for Whites defender Luke Ayling to join Middlesbrough.
The 23-year-old Johnson, who came through the Hammers academy, has seen his minutes in the side decrease this season and he’s out of contract in the summer.
No depth
This is a deal that West Ham are certainly not in a place to sanction at this moment in time due to the lack of depth in a number of defensive areas.
That is largely down to Thilo Kehrer being allowed to move on loan to Monaco during this window, with the agreement with the French club including a mandatory obligation-to-buy clause.
While Johnson hasn’t been in the best form over the past 12 months, having previously been seen as a promising player for the future at the London Stadium, he can fill in anywhere across the back four.
His main position is at right-back, though, and with Vladimir Coufal the only other senior option in that position, he can’t really be allowed to move on until someone else comes through the door.
It’s unlikely the Englishman will have a future in East London beyond this season, but after he’s played in four of the past five games, he could well stick around for the time being unless something changes over the next three weeks.
In other West Ham news, the Hammers could be set to make an approach for an “unbelievable” forward as his club are now open to a sale.