Aston Villa have added Stoke City goalkeeper Viktor Johansson to their summer watchlist as the club keep protection in place around the uncertain Emi Martinez transfer picture.
According to Aftonbladet, Villa are one of three English clubs following the Sweden international, alongside Hull City and Ipswich Town. Inside Futbol relays that the 27-year-old has been placed on Villa’s shortlist in case there is movement in Unai Emery’s goalkeeping department.
Villa Track Long-Term Stoke No.1
Johansson is not an easy market opportunity. Stoke confirmed in May that he had signed a new four-year contract, taking his deal at the bet365 Stadium through to 2030.
That gives the Championship club a strong negotiating hand, especially after Johansson returned from a shoulder injury to make Sweden’s 26-man World Cup squad. He has also already passed through Villa’s academy system, adding an intriguing layer to the recruitment file.
For Villa, the logic is clear. Martinez remains the senior figure, but Juventus interest and the broader goalkeeper market have forced the club to assess succession options before the window accelerates. Johansson would offer age, size, Championship volume and international experience, but any approach would need to overcome Stoke’s long-contract leverage.
The interest should be read as strategic monitoring rather than an advanced move. Villa are keeping the goalkeeper board warm, and Johansson’s name is now firmly on it.
