Uncle Albert Posted 26 June 2009 Posted 26 June 2009 England right-back Glen Johnson has signed a four-year deal with Liverpool after completing a reported £17.5m move from Portsmouth. The 24-year-old becomes manager Rafael Benitez's first summer signing after the Reds boss beat off competition from Chelsea and Manchester City. Benitez said: "Sometimes you have to spend a little bit more. "You can't compete in the top four of the Premier League unless you spend some money." It is understood Pompey still owe Liverpool £7m from the deal that saw them buy striker Peter Crouch last summer, and that is believed to have helped finance Johnson's transfer. Johnson had limited first-team chances at Chelsea in his spell there, but established himself in the England team after his move to Portsmouth in 2007. Portsmouth paid £4m for Johnson, who emerged as Benitez's prime target after having an outstanding season at Fratton Park last season. "It was down to the player whether he chose us or City or Chelsea and he chose us," Benitez told the Liverpool website. "It was very clear from talking to him that he wanted to play for Liverpool. "He was important at Chelsea and in the last year at Portsmouth he has improved and is much better. "One of the main things is his mentality - it's really good. He is a winner. I was impressed with the conversations I had with him. He wants to improve." Johnson signed a new four-year deal at Portsmouth in January, but club officials accepted they could not stand in his way if he was offered the opportunity to move to a club playing in the Champions League. "We were thinking about bringing in players with quality - that's the first thing," added Benitez. Good signing for Liverpool.
Sparky Posted 26 June 2009 Posted 26 June 2009 Johnson has improved no end and has made the right back spot his own at international level . £18 Million is way over the top though
Head Honcho Posted 26 June 2009 Posted 26 June 2009 Ironically it now seems that the Scousers have been mugged!
Bert Posted 26 June 2009 Posted 26 June 2009 Good signing but there's no question that it's massively over-priced.
phillip j fry Posted 26 June 2009 Posted 26 June 2009 best english right back.imo.wish him well after all the world cups on its way
Tevez Posted 26 June 2009 Posted 26 June 2009 Thanks for the Italics loft, I read that piece with my head slanted. Anyway good luck at your new club Glen.
MPH Posted 27 June 2009 Posted 27 June 2009 always likes him. he should be Englands 1st choice RB for a good few years...
Samilktray Posted 27 June 2009 Posted 27 June 2009 £18 million is a bit much for a player who isnt really gonna get them any closer to the title.
MPH Posted 27 June 2009 Posted 27 June 2009 £18 million is a bit much for a player who isnt really gonna get them any closer to the title. agreed. young talented englishmen are hard to come by these days... i mean, not many people his age playing for England... so got to pay over the odds to get them i guess...
AyewJoking Posted 27 June 2009 Posted 27 June 2009 I thought Liverpool didnt have much money. Ok so 17.5 million isnt 30 or 50 million you'd need to sign the best players but still a waste of money. Johnson, given his age and potential is worth about 8 million at best.
davieG Posted 27 June 2009 Posted 27 June 2009 Hope they've got the toilet seats chained down. Never really taken to the guy as a person but he's putting in some top performances just lately, £17mill is a joke but then so are most transfer fees at the top clubs (please let the bubble burst). Liverpool need all the depth they can get if they want to make a serious attempt at the league.
Uncle Albert Posted 27 June 2009 Author Posted 27 June 2009 Thanks for the Italics loft, I read that piece with my head slanted.Anyway good luck at your new club Glen. No worries. £18 million might be abit over the top but time will only tell, loads of teams are now increasing their player valuations since the moves of Kaka and Ronaldo, I read earlier that Sunderland will have to pay £18 millions for Darren Bent, now thats silly. Hopefully Glen Johnson can do well at Anfield and perform week in week out to cement his place in the World Cup squad. Liverpool are also wanting to keep Dossena and Arbeloa now, Arbeloa as cover for Johnson and Dossena because Aurelio has picked up a knee injury which will keep him out for a few months because he was playing football with his children.
Tommeh Posted 27 June 2009 Posted 27 June 2009 Good signing but just hoping the tool Benitez plays him, ALL players in the England squad need the games this season and to be in great condition for the WC. His forms been great for Pompey and for England, it needs to be kept up and not playing 1 in 3 like his Chels days. To be fair Ronaldo and Kaka's moves have inflated the transfer market, don't agree with it but thats the way it's gone.
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