download All Football App

Why Johnson deal makes sense for Palace?

  /  autty

Crystal Palace have completed the £35m club-record signing of Tottenham winger Brennan Johnson, with the Wales international available for Sunday's trip to Newcastle, live on Sky Sports.

Johnson has signed a four-and-a-half-year deal at Selhurst Park and will wear the No 11 shirt.

The 24-year-old becomes Palace's record signing, surpassing the £32m the Eagles paid Liverpool for Christian Benteke in the summer of 2016.

Johnson has been at Spurs since the summer of 2023, when he signed for £47.5m from Nottingham Forest. He finished as the club's top scorer last season with 18 goals in all competitions, including the winner in the Europa League final in May.

However, he has made only six starts in the Premier League this term under new boss Thomas Frank, featuring on both flanks after his position was taken by Mohammed Kudus, who joined in a £55m deal this summer from West Ham.

In total, Johnson has made 20 appearances in all competitions this season, having scored 27 goals in 107 games for the club.

Why Johnson deal makes sense for Palace

Sky Sports' Peter Smith:

Johnson's signing looks like good business for Crystal Palace.

Glasner has been crying out for reinforcements, and the Wales winger adds depth to an area the south Londoners are short in - and should be a good fit to Palace's style with his pace and directness.

Johnson left his mark at Spurs with his Europa League final winner over Manchester United, and that close-range finish was typical of his developing nous for darting into dangerous positions in the box.

In fact, all 54 of his shots in the Premier League last season came from inside the penalty area. It was an approach which paid off, with Johnson top-scoring for Spurs in both the league and across all competitions. Five of his 11 goals in the Premier League were from inside the six-yard box, only strikers Alexander Isak and Yoane Wissa scored more in that zone.

Whether cutting in from the right to look for shooting positions or dashing for the byline before arrowing the ball across the face of goal, Johnson's attacking approach can excite at Selhurst, especially while Ismaila Sarr is away at AFCON. He also has the flexibility of being able to play from both flanks, while, aged 24, there is hope there is plenty more to come from him, too.

He has had only a bit-part to play at Spurs this term, since Mohammed Kudus' arrival. But while Tottenham wave goodbye to their top scorer from the previous campaign for a third season at a row - and sell Johnson at a £12m loss on what they paid for him two and a half years ago - Palace welcome a much-needed addition.

For Johnson, the chance to play regularly in what could turn out to be a World Cup year for Wales, should their play-off go to plan, is valuable, while the prospect of winning more trophies - and perhaps another in Europe - isn't out of the question under Glasner's guidance.