West Ham United have confirmed the departure of right-back Ben Johnson, who is expected to be confirmed as a Town player early this week.
The 24-year-old’s contract with the Hammers is up today with the former England U21 having turned down a new five-year contract at the London Stadium.
Free agent Johnson is understood to have agreed a four-year deal with the Blues with a medical believed to have been passed earlier in the week.
With the Town squad returning for pre-season training tomorrow, it would be little surprise if Johnson’s signing was formally confirmed then.
The Waltham Forest-born, Chigwell-raised full-back came through the academy ranks at West Ham - where he worked with former Town youth coaches Terry Westley and Liam Manning - after joining the club aged seven and made 70 senior starts and 39 sub appearances, scoring twice.
Former England internationals Paul Parker, also a full-back, and Ledley King are his uncle and cousin respectively.
Plenty of other clubs had been linked with Johnson in recent weeks, among them Tottenham, Crystal Palace, Southampton, Rangers, Leeds, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Everton.
Town are also close to confirming the addition of former loanee Omari Hutchinson on a permanent basis with a deal with Chelsea having been agreed along with personal terms.
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