According to reports in the printed version of Wednesday's edition of The Sun (page 62), Crystal Palace are ready to make a £5m January move for Manchester United goalkeeper Sam Johnstone, who is currently on a season-long loan deal with Championship high-flyers Aston Villa.

The Sun says that Roy Hodgson is keen to make a move for the impressive 24-year-old stopper in the New Year, with the report adding that even though he is due to stay at Villa Park until May, the Red Devils inserted a clause in the deal which allows him to be recalled and then sold on next month.

The south London outfit have recovered from losing their opening seven Premier League matches this term to not only move off of the bottom of the table, but also out of the relegation zone and up to 14th position.

With Julian Speroni and Wayne Hennessey as his only two options, it is an area that Hodgson is obviously keen to sort sooner rather than later.

Meanwhile, Johnstone returned to Villa Park on loan during the summer following a successful similar spell last term, and he has kept 17 clean sheets in 44 appearances for the Midlands outfit in all competitions.

Villa's financial difficulties may mean they can't afford to compete for the permanent addition of Johnstone in January though, and if the Eagles do bring him to Selhurst Park then Steve Bruce may be making a shrewd move by getting Hennessey in his place.

Here are three reasons why Villa should sign the Welshman if Palace win the race for the 24-year-old…

Experience

While Steve Bruce and the Aston Villa supporters would be gutted to lose Sam Johnstone elsewhere, they would certainly be pleased if they could bring in someone with Hennessey's experience as the 24-year-old's replacement, adding to a backline that already includes the likes of John Terry and Wales international James Chester.

The Welsh goalkeeper has 142 Premier League appearances to his name, while he also has 73 caps for his country and was part of the team that reached the semi-finals of the 2016 European Championships.

While he has sometimes struggled for form and confidence during his time with Palace, perhaps the 30-year-old stopper is in need of a new start and environment and that would be the case at Villa Park.

Presence

Standing at 6ft 6in tall, there is no doubt that Hennessey can be a big presence between the sticks for Aston Villa in the Championship.

The Welshman not only has the ability to make himself big when he is facing strikers, but he will also have a decent command of his penalty area – something that is important because of the physical nature of England's second tier.

According to WhoScored.com, two of the main strengths of his game are also his concentration and his distribution, which could be key for Villa as they aim for promotion this season.

Price tag

Hennessey's Crystal Palace contract is due to run out next summer and with no sign that he will be offered a new one as of yet, he could be available for a loan deal or even for a cut-price fee during the January transfer window should the Eagles buy Johnstone.

That is something that will appeal to Steve Bruce given that he is likely to have little to spend in the New Year as the Midlands outfit look to avoid any financial sanctions, and a loan deal until the end of the season when they can then choose whether they sign the 30-year-old on a free or not would probably be the best option for them.

Do you agree, Villa fans? Let us know below.