'Medical booked' - Crystal Palace sanction exit of £10m star labelled 'quality' by Roy Hodgson

Crystal Palace are set to sell goalkeeper Sam Johnstone to Premier League rivals Wolves this week as the summer transfer window draws to a close with the shot-stopper desperate for more game time than he is being afforded at Selhurst Park.

The 31-year-old joined the Eagles in 2022 from West Brom on a free transfer. Johnstone was initially second choice to Vicente Guaita but eventually took the starting berth until being outmuscled by Dean Henderson last season.

Henderson was handed the number one shirt this summer as Oliver Glasner made his preference between the sticks clear and, as a result, Johnstone requested to leave the club. Speaking at the weekend, the Crystal Palace manager said: "Sam told us he wants to leave. If he finds a club then he can leave."

GiveMeSport had named Southampton and Leicester City as two sides competing with Wolves for the goalkeeper this month but it is the Midlands side that has won the transfer race. Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano took to social media platform X on Wednesday morning to provide the latest update on the move believed to be worth £10 million. He wrote: "Wolves have agreed deal to sign Sam Johnstone as new goalkeeper with medical tests set to take place. He wanted to leave Palace and deal has been sealed today."

Johnstone, who has four England caps to his name, made a total of 34 appearances for Crystal Palace in his two years with the club. The goalkeeper is a product of the Manchester United youth academy and has previously enjoyed spells at West Brom and Aston Villa. The player’s last appearance for Palace came in the 1-1 Premier League draw against Luton Town at Selhurst Park in March.

Former Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson had hinted at the potential sale of either Henderson or Johnstone in January when asked about the competition in the position, praising both player's quality. He said: “It’s not easy to have two goalkeepers of that quality. It will be a situation the club will have to look closely at. Whether they will be able to persuade both that, ‘We need you both’.

"Or whether they will be forced to accept it’s probably a bit ambitious to have two England goalkeepers where one is not going to play each week, I’m prepared just to let the time go.

“When that time comes, the club will make a decision. It’s much more [sporting director] Dougie Freedman and [chairman] Steve Parish who will be confronted with that.”