Birmingham Mail is reporting that Aston Villa could be facing competition from Sunderland over the signing of Sam Johnstone, a young English goalkeeper.
Villa boss Steve Bruce was eager to secure his signature in the upcoming period, but it seems that Sunderland have also joined the race for the keeper, who is tied with the contract at Manchester United.
Currently, David De Gea and Sergio Romero are blocking Johnstone access to the first team place, and he had been on loan at Villa during the second half of last season.
During his stay with the Villains, Johnstone impressed in his 22 appearances, by keeping 8 clean sheets. The fans and the management of Aston Villa would be happy to offer him a permanent deal, but offers from other clubs are also on the table.
Sunderland have sold Jordan Pickford to Everton in a £30 million move, and they could afford to pay the asking price for Sam Johnstone, which is estimated at around £5 million.
