£30m development emerges in Everton bid to sign Nottingham Forest star Brennan Johnson
Everton are one of multiple Premier League clubs reportedly interested in signing Nottingham Forest forward Brennan Johnson, as reported in The Athletic.
The report (14 June) states that Forest have informed Brentford that they are not interested in selling their academy graduate for the £30million club-record fee that the Bees have suggested they are willing to pay.
Everton, West Ham and Aston Villa are among the other Premier League clubs interested in Johnson, who has become a key part of Steve Cooper’s side after scoring eight league goals in the Premier League season last year as the Reds secured safety.
If Everton are seriously interested in attempting to lure Johnson away from his boyhood club it will take a much larger fee than the £30million Brentford have offered.
The home-grown talent still has three years left on his deal after signing a four-year contract in July 2022 which gives the club further selling power in any negotiations.
Dream signing
Johnson would be the absolute dream signing for Everton. He is a young, talented, Premier League-proven goalscorer who clearly has a bright future ahead of him. For this reason, any potential deal for the 22-year-old would be extremely difficult.
With three years remaining on his deal, Nottingham Forest will be in no rush to sell Johnson, who became one of the club’s main men after scoring 19 Championship goals to fire the club to the Play-Offs during the 2021/22 campaign.
Everton need goals, there is no doubt about it, and Johnson would be a source of goals. His eight league goals last season are impressive considering his age, the struggles his side faced and the fact that it was his debut season in the division.
The Toffees would be confident he could improve on that form next season however with the large fee being quoted, and the club’s financial struggles, it is hard to see a deal for the forward happening during the summer.