Premier League clubs Brighton and Hove Albion and Leicester City have entered the race to recruit West Bromwich Albion shot-stopper Sam Johnstone, according to an update from The Sun.

The 29-year-old is set to leave The Hawthorns on the expiration of his contract this summer with Steve Bruce admitting defeat in the Baggies' quest to retain him beyond the summer, no real surprise considering the goalkeeper has been the subject of interest from other clubs throughout the 2021/22 campaign.

Although many would argue his performances in the second tier haven't been groundbreaking, his displays during the 2020/21 season captured many sides' attention along with his continued presence in the England squad.

With West Brom not entitled to any compensation for his services either, the side that strikes an agreement for his services in the coming months may be getting one of the bargains of the summer.

However, there is plenty of interest in his signature with Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur previously looking as though they would be going head-to-head for his signature despite Newcastle United and West Ham continuing to monitor his situation.

And it has now been revealed that Brighton and Leicester have entered the running for his signature, with talkSPORT adding Crystal Palace into the mix as another interested side.

Despite this, Tottenham look as though they are still favourites to land his signature, with an exit from his current side looking inevitable at this stage following confirmation that they will be competing in the second tier once again next season.

The Verdict:

If he is to join any of the three sides that have entered the running, he would probably only go there if he is to become their first-choice shot-stopper, though that may be difficult at Leicester City with Kasper Schmeichel having a decent amount of top-tier experience under his belt.

At this stage, he probably wouldn't displace the Dane unless he actually leaves the King Power Stadium, though the England international will certainly fancy his chances against Danny Ward and Daniel Iversen.

He will also face considerable competition at Palace with the likes of Vicente Guaita and Jack Butland plying their trade at Selhurst Park, though a spot could potentially open up at rivals Brighton if Robert Sanchez moves on to Newcastle United.

But you just feel his best option at this stage would be Southampton considering the number of shot-stoppers that are out of contract at St Mary's this summer - and he would certainly fancy his chances of being a regular in the top tier for the Saints.

This could boost his chances of winning a spot in Gareth Southgate's squad for the World Cup later this year and with Ralph Hasenhuttl making the south-coast side a solid top-tier club, he could potentially settle down there for the long term.