Glen Johnson recently came under the search radar of one of the top El Classico giants, Barcelona whose coach, Luis Enrique is shopping for a low cost and short term solution to their right back in January when the transfer window opens.
However, this might not come to pass as it seems Stoke City would be taking up an option, thus extending the contract of the right back beyond 2017 as it is due to expire at the next summer.
The 32-year old is still a big part of Coach Mark Hughes’s plan, after a little spell at Stoke which has seen him find his best form. He had joined Stoke from Liverpool in the 2015 summer on a free transfer.
Johnson had agreed to a 2 year deal in his contract with an option of a third at the time he arrived Stoke. He should be available for Stoke’s game against Bournemouth on 19th November by the next international break. He may either be able to feature in the match, or at the very least, be available to train with the rest of his teammates.
He is currently out with a thigh problem which comes after a knee injury had seen him being ruled out for the three final months of the last season. This season also has seen him come off with a strain to the thigh which sidelined him for quite a while but not as much as a problem as was feared.
Hughes said: “He’s progressing. I think he’s happier with it. I think initially he thought that it might be more serious after the initial pop he had in comparison to the one he did earlier in the year – but it’s actually progressed a lot quicker and he’s quite happy.
“He’s got a couple of weeks to go before he’s back in the group but it’s progressing well and he should be ok.”