Ben Johnson was set on transfer to Ipswich – will he make West Ham regret losing him?

It was a phone call Ben Johnson did not see coming and one that an ex-team-mate hoped would be the difference in persuading the defender to play abroad.

The pursuit of the versatile Johnson saw Manuel Pellegrini, the former West Ham United manager now in charge of Real Betis in La Liga, express an interest in signing Johnson. Pablo Fornals, who played for West Ham from 2019-24 and was now at Betis under Pellegrini, phoned Johnson in the hope it would convince the 24-year-old to join the Spanish side.

But there was only one club Johnson had his heart set on joining: Ipswich Town.

He has signed for the Premier League newcomers on a free transfer, having accepted a four-year deal. Ipswich Town had no issues meeting Johnson’s salary expectations, while manager Kieran McKenna has assured him of first-team football. Johnson joins a club with lofty ambitions on their return to the top flight.

Johnson rejected West Ham’s five-year contract and there were frustrations over how protracted negotiations were in the last 12 months. Although new head coach Julen Lopetegui wanted Johnson to stay, the defender opted for a fresh start.

Welcome, Ben Johnson! ✊ pic.twitter.com/X4yvYoN59E

— IPSWICH TOWN (@IpswichTown) July 1, 2024

Due to a lack of game time under former manager David Moyes, Johnson rejected multiple contract offers. The former England Under-21 international only made 14 league appearances in the 2023-24 season and struggled to dislodge first-choice right-back Vladimir Coufal.

In January, Crystal Palace enquired about signing Johnson but their approach was rebuffed by West Ham. Rangers held talks with Johnson’s representatives, but it soon became clear they could not afford his salary. Leeds United, Southampton and Fulham were also interested.

West Ham have now lined up Southampton defender Kyle Walker-Peters as Johnson’s potential replacement, with West Ham defensive midfielder Flynn Downes moving permanently back to the South Coast after his loan spell there last season.

Johnson wants regular first-team action (Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

So what type of player is Johnson?

He is comfortable in either full-back role and has been utilised in midfield in his career. He was part of West Ham’s academy from the age of seven before making his first-team debut against Manchester City in February 2019 and made 109 appearances. He won the young player of the year award in 2021 and won the Europa Conference League and European Under-21 Championship in the summer of 2023.

Johnson was initially a winger as a child and converted to an attacking full-back — his two assists in 69 league appearances is a statistic that will need to improve — who is solid defensively.

It was Pellegrini who once said Johnson has a “big future” and the right-back comes from a sporting family, with former Tottenham Hotspur and England defender Ledley King as his cousin and former Manchester United defender Paul Parker as his uncle. Johnson’s father Mark played football at non-League level and another uncle is Neville Douglas, a former England schools sprinter.

Those close to Johnson, speaking anonymously to protect relationships, say he is quiet and goes to church every Sunday with his family. One of his idols growing up was the former West Ham striker Freddie Sears, the forward who also played for Ipswich Town.

Johnson has endured setbacks in his journey to Portman Road. He was initially plagued with hamstring injuries when he transitioned from the under-21s to the first-team at West Ham. The club’s former under-21s manager Dmitri Halajko was a key factor in helping him overcome his injuries.

Johnson with the Conference League Trophy in 2023 (Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)

“I coached Ben Johnson when I first came to the club years ago,” ex-West Ham striker Carlton Cole said. “I always knew there was a player in there. He had that class and is made of some real stuff. He’s such a level-headed character.”

Johnson has had to prove doubters wrong — the most significant being West Ham’s ex-academy director Tony Carr.

“All the players I coached were unique in their own way,” he told The Athletic. “Some surprise you, (such as) Ben Johnson. I couldn’t have envisaged he’d go all the way. I thought he was a good young player. He was a nice size, great attitude, great kid. But did he have enough to play in the Premier League? I wasn’t sure. I think you have doubts about all your players.

“Ben came to us when he was about eight or nine. He was a really nice kid, always with a big smile on his face. The thing about Ben was that he was unspectacular but reliable. He didn’t do special things but if he was confronted one-on-one he’d cope. He’d show them the line or whatever was asked of him tactically. He would intercept when it was needed.

“He would break forward and he had decent pace. I always felt at times he lacked a bit of confidence in those attacking positions to try something. Sometimes it was as if he’d think, ‘Oh, I had better keep it simple here’ rather than be a little more adventurous. It’s not about always taking risks but, equally, the best players will sometimes take risks. Ben would tend to go for the safe option.

“But now he has played the number of games he has in the first team, I think that confidence will be growing him.”

Now it is down to Johnson to show why West Ham’s loss is Ipswich’s gain.

(Richard Pelham/Getty Images)