After a year at Villa Park, Steve Bruce’s Aston Villa side finally look like an outfit capable of challenging for promotion in the Sky Bet Championship.

Villa’s talented squad massively underachieved last season, but this year, Bruce appears to have found the formula that could take the club back to the Premier League, with a fluent 4-4-2 system.

One player in Bruce’s squad who does not get as much credit as he deserves is Sam Johnstone, who is on a season-long loan at Villa Park from Manchester United.

Here at FLW, we believe that Bruce should be making every effort to sign the goalkeeper permanently in January, as it would give Villa the perfect lift ahead of a crucial second-half of the season.

Johnstone is enjoying his second loan spell with Villa, and has featured in every Championship fixture so far this season for Bruce’s side.

The 24-year-old has kept five clean sheets from his 11 Championship appearances, and is thriving from the faith Bruce is putting in him week in, week out.

Villa are going for promotion this season, and Bruce will obviously look to strengthen during the January transfer window, but we believe that should not be before they secure Johnstone’s permanent signature.

A consistent goalkeeper is key at any level of football, and now Villa have found one, they must sign him permanently.

Aston Villa fans… Let us know your thoughts!