FOR OUR BBC SPORT ARTICLE WE TAKE A LOOK AT HOW WOLVES ARE REAPING THE REWARDS FROM SAM JOHNSTONE STAYING PUT
Sam Johnstone has been a revelation for Wolves this season, and few saw it coming. Splashing out on another keeper initially suggested José Sá would leave. He didn’t. Instead, the pair fought for the gloves. Sá won that fight last season, and Johnstone struggled so much that Pereira rarely looked past his countryman.
This year, it’s flipped. After a first outing against West Ham in the Carabao Cup, Johnstone seized his chance. He impressed on his first league start at Newcastle, then backed it up with strong displays against Everton in the cup, and Spurs and Brighton in the league. Last season, shots seemed to whistle past him. This term, he’s producing big moments: the save from Mohammed Kudus against Spurs and the stop from Georginio Rutter stand out.
The data backs it up. FotMob rate Johnstone as the third best goalkeeper in the Premier League this season with a 7.5 rating, behind only Nick Pope and James Trafford. For a player many expected to move on in the summer, that’s some turnaround.
He could easily have left. After a rough 2024/25, reports linked him with Sunderland and Burnley. Nothing materialised, and at 32 he stayed put. Over the summer he doubled down on his craft, working closely with a goalkeeper coach to refine the details. That extra effort shows in his positioning, handling, and decision-making under pressure.
Wolves still have problems, especially in attack. But at the back, Johnstone is a major reason things look steadier. He’s helped bank precious points, even if his excellence hasn’t counted for more yet. From afterthought to first choice, his renaissance is one of the season’s most welcome surprises at Molineux. Let’s hope he keeps this form.
