Kevin Phillips believes that former club West Brom must hold out for up to £15m for Sam Johnstone after West Ham's interest in the keeper.

The stopper was one of few to enhance his reputation as Albion were relegated from the Premier League last season, with Johnstone's form earning him a spot in Euro 2020 with the England national team.

Therefore, interest in the keeper was inevitable and it had been reported last week that the Hammers had seen a £6m offer for the keeper turned down.

Whilst Johnstone's contract situation, with the ex-Manchester United man entering the final year of his deal, means his value will be hit, Phillips explained to West Brom News why he's worth a lot more than West Ham's initial offer.

"That’s (£6m) nothing for an international player that performed so well in the Premier League last season. If you pay that money, you’ve got a goalkeeper for the next three, four or five years. I would say (his value) between £12.5m and £15m, something around that figure."

The verdict

This is a fair assessment from Phillips as his valuation takes into account Johnstone's ability but also the fact that he has less than a year on his deal at The Hawthorns.

So, the club were perfectly right to turn down West Ham's offer as it was significantly below what they would accept for such an important player.

Now, it will be interesting to see if any serious offers do come Albion's way and whether Johnstone remains a Baggies player for next season.

Thoughts? Let us know in the comments below.