​Mark Travers wants out, or at least wants clubs to come calling. After just two Carabao Cup appearances since his £4 million move from Bournemouth, the Republic of Ireland international is weighing his options with his future in the balance. Coventry City have shown clear intent, prepared to trigger a release clause in a contract that still runs until 2029, though the formalities have yet to be completed. Now Wrexham have joined the fray, adding another potential destination to Travers’s list of suitors.
Everton, as prudent as ever under their current regime, are waiting for Travers’s next move to unfold before making a formal approach. Yet manager David Moyes also needs a reliable backup goalkeeper, and Give Me Sport reports that Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Sam Johnstone sits on a shortlist for the role. This comes amid questions about Johnstone’s recent form and his suitability to be a dependable, long-term solution.
Let’s be blunt about Johnstone’s recent track record. His last season at Molineux was far from ideal. Relegation with Wolves has sharply affected his market value, and he endured a tough spell in the top flight, conceding 24 goals in 12 Premier League appearances and failing to register a single clean sheet. He made just 37 saves, and a completion rate reflected in a pedestrian 6.46 match rating. Such numbers underscore a goalkeeper whose confidence and consistency have taken a hit.
So why would clubs consider him? Experience, primarily. The Preston-born shot-stopper has four England caps and carries first-hand knowledge of the pressures of senior football at the highest level. He is tall, standing at 191 cm, and when his confidence is up he dominates his six-yard box and can distribute the ball with reasonable competence. These attributes give him a baseline of reliability that a club can lean on in the short term.
However, there are clear caveats. Wolves invested around £10 million in Johnstone in 2024, and his form subsequently plummeted. The recent pattern of conceding multiple goals in consecutive matches—two or more in five straight outings—does not inspire confidence in him as a dependable security blanket for an ambitious team. At 33 years old, Johnstone represents a stopgap solution rather than a developmental project with the potential for sustained growth.
Everton’s recruitment strategy in recent windows has been sturdy rather than sensational. They have secured Hayden Hackney and moved Tyrique George to a permanent deal, signaling a measured approach rather than a desperate scramble. They are not reacting out of panic. The Travers situation could be the fulcrum: if Travers commits to staying, the debate about a second-choice goalkeeper may become moot. If he departs for the EFL, Moyes faces a decision about whether Johnstone’s Premier League pedigree and experience are a valuable asset or a warning sign that the club needs a different type of cover.
In short, Travers’s future is a live issue that could reshape Everton’s goalkeeping plans, regardless of whether Coventry’s release clause is eventually activated or Wrexham’s bid formally lands. The question for Moyes is whether Johnstone’s recent lapses and current 33-year-old horizon fit into Everton’s longer-term vision, or if the club should look for a younger, more dynamic option to ensure stability between the posts. Until Travers’s destination is resolved, the broader goalkeeper market will likely stay in a holding pattern, with Everton watching closely to see whether Johnstone can rediscover the form that once made him a credible Premier League presence.