Samuel Luke Johnstone, born on 25 March 1993 in Preston, Lancashire, is an English professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper.
He is currently on loan at Scottish Premiership side Celtic from EFL Championship club Wolverhampton Wanderers.
A product of the Manchester United academy, Johnstone has established himself as a reliable shot-stopper across English football’s top tiers and has earned senior international recognition with England.
His father, Glenn Johnstone, was also a professional goalkeeper who played for Preston North End, providing a strong family foundation in the sport.
Siblings
Sam has two brothers.
His eldest brother, Ryan, took a different path, playing rugby league during his school years before building a career in IT as an app developer.
The youngest sibling is Max Johnstone, a fellow goalkeeper who is five years Sam’s junior.
Max followed a similar trajectory into the game, spending time in Manchester United’s academy after joining as a youth player in 2016.
He later featured for clubs including Fleetwood Town, AFC Fylde, St Johnstone in Scotland, and Macclesfield Town, and has more recently played for Precision FC in Dubai.
Career
Johnstone began his football journey at local side Euxton Villa before joining Manchester United’s academy as a youngster after being spotted by scout Colin Fairhurst.
He progressed through the ranks and became first-choice in the academy during the 2010–11 season, contributing to FA Youth Cup success.
Without making a senior appearance for United, he gained extensive experience through a series of loans.
These included spells at Oldham Athletic, Scunthorpe United, where he made his professional debut, Walsall, Yeovil Town, Doncaster Rovers, and two stints at his hometown club Preston North End.
At Preston, he helped secure promotion from League One via the play-offs in 2015, keeping a clean sheet in the final.
He later enjoyed productive loan periods at Aston Villa across the 2016–17 and 2017–18 seasons in the Championship.
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In July 2018, Johnstone made a permanent move to West Bromwich Albion for a reported £6.5 million.
He played a key role in their automatic promotion to the Premier League as Championship runners-up in 2019–20.
Despite the club’s relegation the following season, he remained a standout performer.
After leaving West Brom, he joined Crystal Palace on a free transfer in 2022.
He made 29 Premier League appearances over two seasons, establishing himself as a reliable goalkeeping option.
In August 2024, he signed for Wolverhampton Wanderers on a four-year deal for a reported £10 million.
After limited opportunities and the club’s relegation, he moved on loan to Celtic in September 2026 for the 2026–27 season to seek regular first-team football.
On the international stage, Johnstone represented England at under-16, under-17, under-19, and under-20 levels. He was part of the side that won the 2010 UEFA European Under-17 Championship.
He earned his first senior call-up in 2021 and made his debut that June in a friendly against Romania, keeping a clean sheet.
He has accumulated four senior caps, all without conceding, and was included in the England squad for UEFA Euro 2020.
Accolades
Johnstone’s achievements include winning the UEFA European Under-17 Championship with England in 2010.
He also won the FA Youth Cup with Manchester United in 2010–11.
He was part of the Manchester United squad that lifted the EFL Cup in 2017.
With West Bromwich Albion, he earned promotion to the Premier League as Championship runners-up in 2019–20.
At the end of the 2020–21 Premier League season, despite relegation, he swept the club’s individual awards.
He was named both Supporters’ Player of the Year and Players’ Player of the Year. He also received the PFA Community Champion Award for his off-field contributions.
Internationally, he was a member of the England squad that finished as runners-up at UEFA Euro 2020.
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