It doesn’t take much investigative acumen to uncover the identity of the man known only as “Player A” in the written reasons for Nottingham Forest’s four-point deduction. The mystery was effectively solved on the second page of the 50-page document, where “Player A” was identified as a footballer transferred from Nottingham Forest to Tottenham Hotspur in September.
So “Player A” can only be Brennan Johnson, and while that codename seems pretty meaningless, the document offers a lot of fascinating information about the 22-year-old actor. Firstly, by underlining how important the sale of Johnson is for Forest’s financial situation. Secondly, by showing how talented and attractive an actor he has become.
Written reasons reveal the extraordinary interest in Johnson during last summer’s transfer window. The following clubs participated in the meeting with varying degrees of seriousness: Manchester United, Spurs, Manchester City, Aston Villa, Brentford, Crystal Palace and Atletico Madrid. Chelsea were not mentioned in the investigation’s findings, but they were keen.
It takes a special player to attract the attention of all these clubs at the same time. Atletico went so far as to make a formal bid worth £42.9 million. Telegraph Sport understands these negotiations could have progressed quickly if the Spanish team had been able to get Joao Felix out of the window sooner.
In the end it was Spurs who won the race and in recent months Johnson has become an increasingly important member of Ange Postecoglou’s squad. Johnson has scored three goals and recorded two assists in his last seven games.
This week “Player A”’s focus has shifted from club football to Wales. On Thursday, Johnson and his international teammates will face Finland in the Euro 2024 play-off semi-final. If they win this, they will play in the final against Poland or Estonia next week.
It’s a situation that requires big players to come to the fore for the stars to shine. In previous years, the man for this job was Gareth Bale. Now, with Bale retired and Aaron Ramsey not yet fully fit, Wales need a new hero. Johnson is the obvious candidate.
Rob Page has effective offensive players in his squad. The likes of Harry Wilson, Daniel James and Kieffer Moore have all impacted the international scene. But none are more qualified for the savior role than £47.5m forward Johnson, who is likely to play in the Champions League next season.
In short, Johnson is now a standout talent in a Wales team that has historically relied on individual players to create defining moments. Without Bale, Wales need someone else and Page needs to find a way to make the most of Johnson’s pace and ability.
It has to be said that the Wales manager has had difficulty in this regard so far. Johnson’s role in the team is yet to be determined and he has scored just two goals in 24 international appearances. But there are encouraging parallels with Bale that go beyond his shared Spurs connection: Bale scored just two goals in his first 26 appearances for Wales.
Of course, Johnson is no Bale. He will never be Bale. However, he can be a leader and be able to fulfill this responsibility based on his natural ability. Evidence of his growing profile can be found in the pages of British GQ, where Johnson discusses fashion and poses for stylish photos.
It helps the Welsh cause that Johnson has now found his place at Spurs, being provided with a personal chef and a personalized sports programme. Postecoglou has a unique training method, and it took some time for Johnson to adapt to his new surroundings.
At Forest, where Welshman Steve Cooper played a crucial role in his development, Johnson’s job was to attack the opposition quickly. Take the ball, move forward. Spurs also have to worry about defensive positioning and the movement of their own full-backs, who are generally more advanced than the wingers in Postecoglou’s system.
“He took the information into consideration,” Postecoglou said earlier this month. “He’s worked really hard in the areas we’ve asked him to work hard at. Now he’s starting to reap the rewards.”
Johnson doesn’t act like a superstar in waiting off the court. A family boy, he returns to Nottingham when his schedule allows. He has the same friends he grew up with and often has dinner with his former Forest team-mates.
If Johnson can unlock his potential, his life will inevitably change. However, being the star and hero of the club and country is what almost every football player wants. To be your team’s Player A, if you will. Johnson has his chance this week and Wales need him to take it.