Stoke City considering a move for Rotherham United, with a £1 million release clause.
Despite being demoted from Rotherham United, Viktor Johansson has been a star performer for his squad, and now there is Championship interest.
Swedish goalkeeper Viktor Johansson has been a standout for Rotherham United during a dreadful Championship season in which they are at the bottom of the table and have already been relegated to League One.
The Swedish stopper joined the Millers as a free agent in September 2020, signing a two-year contract after previously playing for Leicester City.
The then-21-year-old played extensively for Leicester City’s under-21 team in the Premier League 2 and EFL Trophy, but never made an appearance for the first team.
Johansson made his Millers debut in a 2-1 Championship victory over Preston North End in 2020, and he has since established himself as the club’s first-choice goalkeeper, having played over 140 games.
The goalie has enjoyed a lot of success in South Yorkshire, winning the club’s Young Player of the Season and Player of the Year trophies, among other individual distinctions.
He has also brought silverware to the New York Stadium and was important in Rotherham’s 2021/22 EFL Trophy winning campaign, which included three penalty shootouts before a final victory at Wembley Stadium.
Since Rotherham United’s relegation to League One was confirmed following a 1-0 home defeat to Plymouth Argyle in early April, it has appeared increasingly likely that Johansson will quit his club in the summer, with Sheffield United among those linked.
Staffordshire-based Stoke City is apparently interested in Viktor Johansson’s services, according to writer Alan Nixon’s Patreon account.
The Potters are expected to make an offer for the Swedish stopper once their second-tier status for the 2024/25 season is guaranteed, with a 3-0 win over Plymouth Argyle – head coach Steven Schumacher’s former side – adding to that hope significantly.
Nixon has also alleged that a relegation provision has been added into Johansson’s Millers contract, allowing him to depart the New York Stadium for a discount sum estimated to be around £1 million.
If Stoke manager Schumacher wants to strengthen his team next season, he must consider his goalkeeping alternatives.
The Potters have tried four different goalkeepers this season in the league, the most of any team, and have yet to settle on any of them.
Daniel Iversen, Jack Bonham, Mark Travers, and Tommy Simkin have all contributed to their team’s dismal goalkeeping record. According to FBref statistics, their post-shot anticipated goals minus goals conceded statistic is -3.0, indicating that they conceded three goals more than they should have.