Tottenham transfer would cause outrage as speculation emerges about freebie deal
Ben Johnson would add depth to Tottenham but he would have to quickly win over supporters due to his West Ham background, Paul Robinson has said.
It was reported by TeamTalk on 15 April that Spurs are among the clubs looking at signing the versatile 24-year-old full-back on a free transfer when his contract expires at the end of June.
Johnson only has four starts to his name for the Hammers this season but has filled in at various positions, including in midfield and on the wing for David Moyes.
It is that versatility that makes ex-Tottenham goalkeeper Robinson think he could improve the squad, if not the starting XI, at Spurs but that the rivalry between the two clubs would give him little leeway.
“I think it’s an area that Tottenham will certainly look to address this summer in the full-back areas,” Robinson told Tottenham News.
“I think the thing with Ben Johnson is he’s versatile, can play both right-back and left-back but if you put him into the Tottenham squad now with a fully fit Pedro Porro and a fully fit Destiny Udogie, he doesn’t play.
“I’m not so sure he takes Spurs to the next level where they want to get to, and a deal between Spurs and West Ham it may not go down too well with the fans. He’d have to hit the ground running to win a lot of the supporters over.
“I think he’d be a good addition to the squad, put it that way, but I don’t think he’d have an immediate impact on the starting XI.
“He’s struggled to establish himself in the West Ham side this season, in a West Ham side that does play in a certain defensive way.
“The way that Ange Postecoglou plays, he’s very combative, he’s fit, he gets up and down the pitch but the two full-backs that are there now he wouldn’t get in ahead over either of them for me.”
Will Tottenham sign West Ham defender Ben Johnson?
In some respects you can see why this link has emerged.
Robinson is right that he wouldn’t trouble the XI if Porro and Udogie are fit but Emerson Royal and Ben Davies have both filled in at centre-back this term and there isn’t a great deal of defensive depth.
A player like Johnson would help to fill a few voids in the squad even if he isn’t going to get a great deal of game time. That issue, of course, is something that might make Johnson think twice about signing at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
As is the fact there is very little love lost between Spurs and Hammers supporters. It doesn’t feel impossible he makes the move but nor does it feel a dead cert.
In other Tottenham news, Daniel Levy has been slammed over one decision amid a multi-million reveal.
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