Crystal Palace are likely to win the race for West Ham defender Ben Johnson in the summer window, according to a report from the Daily Record.

The 24-year-old is free to leave the club at the end of the season following the end of his contract. He was linked with a move to a host of clubs including Leeds and Rangers, but it appears that Crystal Palace are winning the race for him.

The report claims that Johnson will remain in the Premier League and would become the first signing of new Eagles boss Oliver Glasner.

Johnson is a vastly experienced player. He is a product of the club's youth academy and has scored two goals in 109 appearances since making his debut in 2018. He has dropped down the pecking order at West Ham behind Vladimir Coufal and looks all set to depart this summer.

During the January transfer window, Johson was linked with a move away from Olympic Stadium, but David Moyes blocked all moves for him.

Bolstering defence is priority for Crystal Palace The Eagles spent around PS7m to sign Colombian right-back Daniel Munoz, but they are still looking to add another player in that position. Johnson can play as a centre-back as well as a left-back, and his versatility will be key for Glasner.

Despite the fact that Rangers have opened a dialogue to sign him, it seems he is heading towards joining Palace instead.

Glasner has made a strong impact at Selhurst Park in such a short time, and the improvement in recent results has helped them climb up to 14th in the Premier League table.

The summer transfer window will be interesting for Palace. The Eagles could be forced to offload some of their players, like Marc Guehi or Michael Olise, if the right offer comes their way.