Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag was reportedly offered the chance to sign Brennan Johnson last summer before Tottenham snapped him up for themselves. The 22-year-old has made an impressive start to life in north London, producing greater output than any of the Red Devils’ attackers in the Premier League this season.
Nottingham Forest desperately needed to offload Johnson at the end of last campaign in order to balance the books. In the end, they cashed in too late to stay on the right side of Premier League Profit and Sustainability Rules, leading to a four-point deduction.
According to The Athletic, Forest chief football officer Ross Wilson contacted a number of clubs to discuss a move for Johnson during the summer window. United, Brentford, Aston Villa, Crystal Palace and Manchester City all opted against putting a bid in.
Atletico Madrid are understood to have sent a proposal to the Tricky Trees, but Spurs made the decisive £47.5million bid and immediately made Johnson a prominent member of Ange Postecoglou’s squad.
The Welsh international has contributed to 10 Premier League goals already this term (four goals, six assists). By comparison, Marcus Rashford and Rasmus Hojlund have nine goal contributions, while Alejandro Garnacho has eight.
Painfully for the United trio, all three of them have put together their inferior totals having played more minutes than Johnson this campaign. At 22 years old, the Spurs forward still has room to mature and improve.
The 21-year-old drew a blank against Liverpool in the FA Cup quarter-finals on Sunday, but his team-mates ensured that didn’t matter as Scott McTominay, Antony, Rashford and Amad Diallo scored in a thrilling 4-3 victory.
Hojlund, Garnacho and Rashford have established themselves as Ten Hag’s starting front-three this season, leaving others to try and fight their way in from the sidelines.
