Yahoo News Brick walls, Steven Schumacher and Ederson - Viktor Johansson opens up after Stoke City transfer
New Stoke City goalkeeper Viktor Johansson has promised to ‘go through a brick wall’ for his new club. The Swede, who signed a three-year deal after the Potters paid an undisclosed fee for his services, was speaking after securing his return to the Championship following relegation to League One with Rotherham United.
The 25-year-old becomes Stoke’s first signing of the summer transfer window and hopefully a long-term solution to a position that has been up for grabs for the last couple of seasons.
That’s certainly Johansson’s intention, and in an interview posted on the Stoke City YouTube channel he explained his rationale for choosing the bet365 Stadium and not one of his other suitors.
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“Stoke were quite early saying how they really wanted me, and that played a massive part in me going here,” he said. “The ambitions of the club, they explained the project and I spoke to the gaffer and the goalkeeper coach . I felt I wanted to be part of that.
“My head was always in Stoke. I really felt wanted and that played a massive, massive part for me. I spoke to my dad and he said when he was young it was a massive club, when I grew up I’d hear about Stoke and the Premier League, and that’s where I want to get to.”
Johansson will become a key player for Steven Schumacher, who during his tenure as Plymouth Argyle boss liked to have his goalkeeper instigate build-up play.
“It’s important. Over the last coupe of years you can see the change. I think it was Ederson at Man City that brought it properly into the game. It’s important if you want to build and start the attack. It is something I am capable of doing and I am looking forward to doing as well.
“I have presence in the box. I am not the biggest, but I play quite big. I come for crosses I am not afraid of anything, I will go through a brick wall if I have to. I love a good scrap, anything I can do to get the ball, then I am there for it. I have always been big on communication, I don’t want to hear my own voice but I have to sometimes.”
