West Brom could be set to keep hold of goalkeeper Alex Palmer this summer and give him the chance to establish himself as the club’s first choice next season, according to The Sun on Sunday (16/05/2021, p59).
Palmer has spent the campaign out on loan with Lincoln City in League One and the 24-year-old has enjoyed an impressive season.
He has managed to be an ever-present for them in the third tier managing to record 19 clean sheets and average 2.6 saves per game. That has seen him play a vital role in helping the Imps reach the League One play-off semi-finals.
The keeper also enjoyed an impressive loan spell with Plymouth Argyle last season in which he managed to record 14 clean sheets in 37 appearances.
That saw Palmer help Ryan Lowe’s side earn promotion back to League One. Those performances are thought to have made West Brom believe that he could be the next player capable to coming into the side as their number one between the sticks.
According to The Sun on Sunday (16/05/2021, p59), the Baggies are preparing to place their faith in Palmer if they were to lose their current number one Sam Johnstone in the summer.
That comes with the West Brom keeper emerging on the radar of Manchester United following his performances in the Premier League this term.
The Verdict
This would show a lot of faith in Palmer’s ability and it is something that the keeper is deserving of because he has done everything right during his loan spells away from the Hawthorns in the last two campaigns. The 24-year-old has proven that he can be a reliable shot-stopper and be a key presence in sides that are challenging for promotion from both League Two and League One.
Losing Johnstone would be a huge blow for the Baggies, because he is a quality goalkeeper that has proven himself to be a Premier League quality player despite Sam Allardyce’s side being relegated back to the Championship. However, they might be able to save themselves a lot of money in the transfer market by promoting Palmer to their number one if he goes.
You could see Palmer being an excellent replacement for Johnstone at the Hawthorns if he is given that chance. The 24-year-old is not short of confidence and he will feel he is ready to take that next step now after impressing in League One this season.