Bruce keen to keep stopper Johnstone
UNITED will face strong competition from Aston Villa if they want to keep hold of goalkeeper Sam Johnstone next season.
Johnstone has been at United since he was 10 years old, and has had loans at Oldham, Doncaster and Preston North End among others as he attempts to break into Jose Mourinho’s first team squad.
The academy graduate is now on a season-long loan at Villa Park.
He has made a strong and positive impression on his manager Steve Bruce.
He signed a new contract 12 months’ ago, keeping him at Old Trafford until June 2018 - and United have the option to extend by another year.
But Bruce, who has consistently praised Johnstone for playing a crucial role in Villa’s push for promotion, is desperate to sign the keeper permanently.
The Villa manager said: “We have given him time and now he looks like a very, very good goalkeeper.
“He’s getting better all the time and I hope he’s Aston Villa’s goalkeeper for a long time.
“We will do everything in our power to get him here permanently.
“He is going to find it difficult at United to break through because of what they have got so we are hopeful.”
United have David De Gea and Sergio Romero as their first and second choice goalkeepers.
Portuguese stopper Joel Pereira has been promoted to no.3 at the club and has made three senior appearances.