West Ham United are set to lose defender Ben Johnson, with an official announcement of his move to Ipswich Town expected some time today, according to TEAMtalk.
Johnson, 24, will leave West Ham on a free transfer upon the expiration of his contract on June 30th. He has reportedly completed a medical and agreed to a four-year deal with newly promoted Championship side Ipswich Town.
Ipswich Town, who are aiming to bounce back to the Premier League, view Johnson as a key addition to their squad.
Johnson had previously rejected multiple contract extension offers from West Ham during his final season under David Moyes. The arrival of new manager Julen Lopetegui saw West Ham make a last-ditch effort to retain Johnson, offering him a five-year deal, but it was not enough to sway the defender.
With Johnson’s departure, West Ham are actively seeking replacements at right-back with Southampton’s Kyle Walker-Peters reportedly a target, with transfer discussions underway.
There’s also interest in offloading Vladimir Coufal, potentially paving the way for a significant right-back overhaul at West Ham.
West Ham’s attempt to retain Johnson ultimately failed due to his desire for guaranteed playing time. The Hammers are now looking towards the future, with Kyle Walker-Peters emerging as a potential solution amongst many at right-back. Whether other options will be explored remains to be seen.