It’s always interesting to watch the summer window trundle along as some teams get their business done in a timely fashion, but there are always a few deals that somehow get left until the last moment.
It’s easy to put it down to poor planning, but the reality is that most transfers rely on a domino effect to get multiple deals rolling, while other clubs don’t want to allow someone to leave until the last moment in case injuries strike.
That was the case for West Ham defender Ben Johnson as he picked up a knock this week, and it’s reported that his injury had a direct effect on his teammate Harrison Ashby.
The Scotland U21 star would’ve been a developmental signing, probably as depth with a view to pushing for a first-team role eventually, however, the Hammers pulled the plug at the last minute as they failed to find a replacement and were clearly nervous about how long Johnson would be out for.
It appears that Newcastle will look for some added cover at right-back in the winter window, but time will tell if they come back in for Ashby or if they have other targets in mind.
