Crystal Palace has reportedly agreed a fee with Tottenham Hotspur for winger Brennan Johnson. It’s a deal worth around £35 million ($47.2 million). But the 24-year-old hasn’t quite decided where he’s going next. This potential move could really shake things up for both clubs in the upcoming January transfer window, sources say.
Palace Eyes European Ambitions with Johnson
Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner is pretty keen on bringing in new players. He needs reinforcements, especially with the club balancing Premier League, FA Cup, and UEFA Conference League commitments. They’re currently tenth in the UEFA Conference League after six matches. So, European football is a real ambition for them. Johnson, a Wales international, would be a big boost. He’s got a knack for goals and that’s something Palace could really use.
Johnson’s Rollercoaster Tottenham Journey
Brennan joined Tottenham from Nottingham Forest for a hefty £47.5 million ($64 million) in September 2023. He really shone last season, scoring 18 goals in all competitions and ending up as Spurs’ top scorer. He even netted the winner in their Europa League final against Manchester United back in May. That was a huge moment, marking Tottenham’s first trophy in 17 years.
But this season, things have pretty much changed. Under new manager Thomas Frank, Johnson has started just six Premier League games. He’s only played 996 minutes overall, with more than half his 22 appearances coming off the bench.
His spot on the flank has often gone to summer signing Mohammed Kudus. This limited playtime makes a Spurs exit seem pretty likely for him, especially as he looks at interest from other clubs, according to reports.
Tottenham’s Strategy and Frank’s Comments
For Tottenham, agreeing to sell Johnson for around £35 million is quite a significant move. It would actually be their fourth-highest sale ever. Only Gareth Bale, Harry Kane, and Kyle Walker brought in more. This money gives manager Thomas Frank some important room to reshape his squad during the January window.
Frank did talk about Johnson recently. He even spoke after Johnson came on late in Tottenham’s 1-0 win against Palace on Sunday. Frank insisted Johnson was still “very important” for his team.
“Maybe he didn’t get many minutes, but unfortunately, we can only play 11 players,” Frank explained. “We spoke about it before with Mo (Kudus), he’s coming in and put his stamp on that right-winger position. Then [on] the left, we tried different solutions. [He has] still started quite a few games. I think Brennan is an important player for us.”
But it really does seem like Johnson is desperate for more regular game time, journalist David Ornstein reported.
Wider Transfer Implications for Johnson and Semenyo
While Crystal Palace has made their offer, Johnson hasn’t made up his mind yet. There are other teams interested in him too. Bournemouth, for example, sees Johnson as a potential replacement for Antoine Semenyo. That’s because Manchester City is reportedly looking to activate Semenyo’s £65 million ($88 million) release clause. So, it’s a bit of a domino effect in the transfer market, according to transfer trackers.
The January transfer window opens officially on Thursday, January 1st. No sources confirm a completed signing or personal terms agreement with Johnson just yet. Tottenham’s manager Thomas Frank was scheduled to talk to the media later on Tuesday. He might just give everyone an update on this whole situation then.
Baishali Karmakar 
Govind Singh