West Bromwich Albion manager Valerien Ismael has identified Sam Johnstone's ability to bounce back from mistakes as his biggest asset, speaking about the 28-year-old in-depth to the Express and Star.
In the summer, then-new boss Ismael was resigned to losing the England international due to the interest surrounding the goalkeeper, standing out as one of the Baggies' best performers last term despite their relegation from the Premier League and even impressing Three Lions coaches during the summer despite not playing a single minute in the European Championships.
Despite reportedly being monitored by top-flight trio Manchester United, Arsenal and West Ham United during the summer, only the latter followed up their initial interest with a formal bid as they had a £6m offer rebuffed.
As per The Sun, Albion set their initial asking price for the shot-stopper at a whopping £20m during the previous transfer window, despite the fact his contract at The Hawthorns expires next summer with no clause to extend his stay in the West Midlands beyond then.
With that, recent interest from Newcastle United and others and his recent performances for the second-tier side, proving to be vital in keeping clean sheets against Blackpool and Nottingham Forest in their last two games, he looks set for a move back to the top flight at the end of this campaign with or without his current club as he fights to retain his spot in the England squad ahead of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Whilst he's still at West Brom though, Ismael plans to enjoy utilising the 28-year-old whilst he can - and hailed his ability to retain his focus even when mistakes occur.
The Frenchman spoke about this and his admiration for his current number one, saying: "He’s top quality, he’s an international player.
"He plays at a high level, concentration and what I like about Sam, and this is his top quality, is that if a mistake happens, or if something goes wrong, he’s prepared for the next situation.
"This is top quality. He’s a top player."
The Verdict:
Johnstone is someone who is quite clearly too good for the Championship - and it only feels like a matter of time before he moves on to the Premier League - possibly to a more established top-flight side to guarantee himself at least a few more years in the top tier of English football.
Not only is he a good shot-stopper, but he can also distribute the ball well as a keeper who's comfortable with the ball at his feet and has long throw in his locker, attributes ideal for a Newcastle side under Eddie Howe that may want to mix things up going forward.
As an established Three Lions international, he has also performed on the biggest stage and should adapt back to the top tier seamlessly because of that.
The fact he can bounce back from mistakes is also vital, especially in front of the eyes of millions if he makes the step back up to the top division, and potentially crucial for England manager Gareth Southgate next year at the World Cup if the likes of Jordan Pickford and Aaron Ramsdale become unavailable.
He may make the odd mistake, but his general reliability and ability to redeem himself should mean he receives plenty of offers during the summer - and he fully deserves if he can retain his consistency - something he has managed to do at The Hawthorns so far.