Premier League - Liverpool to sign Johnson

Eurosport - Tue, 23 Jun 09:08:00 2009

Liverpool are set to sign England right-back Glen Johnson after confirming they have reached an agreement with both the player and his club Portsmouth.

FOOTBALL Glen Johnson on England duty in 2009 - 0

The Reds have been linked with the defender for a number of weeks while Pompey executive chairman Peter Storrie claimed last week Johnson's former club Chelsea were willing to pay £18 million for the 24-year-old.

And a statement from the club on Monday night said: "Liverpool FC confirmed this evening that they had reached an agreement with Portsmouth Football Club and with Glen Johnson for the transfer of the player to Anfield."

Johnson enjoyed arguably his best season in the Premier League last term as he established himself as England's first-choice right-back and attracted the interest of bigger clubs.

Storrie admitted last week that there was every chance Johnson could leave Fratton Park this summer, especially with the size of the fee being talked about.

Rafael Benitez has not spoken of his interest in Johnson - many Reds fans would prefer him to reinforce his squad in other areas - but Johnson's impending arrival would seem to suggest Alvaro Arbeloa will be sold to Real Madrid sooner rather than later.

Johnson's first crack at the big time fizzled out when, after joining Chelsea from West Ham in 2003, he struggled to secure a regular first-team place and was loaned to Portsmouth before making the move permanent in 2007.

Storrie said last week: "Glen has obviously had a fantastic season for us and has established himself as one of the best right-backs in the league if not the country at the moment.

"I've known Glen for a long time since his West Ham days so when I re-signed him we talked it over and he asked if one of the big four clubs, who were in the Champions League, came in for him would we stand in his way of a move.

"I said that I couldn't do that provided the deal is good for Portsmouth and for Glen."

PA Sport

Comment 235 - 254 of 254

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  1. How come Glen J is so keen to go to the scousers? First­ thing is the "fans" will break into his house­ when he is playing away and rape his girl, stael his­ motor etc. Then he'll be on the bench when raffie­ can't get his leg over him and he'll finish up­ third anyway. It really p*sses me off when­ "big" clubs buy up the best of the rest to­ keep them down the league.

    From drosesmith, on Thu 25 Jun 9:34PM

  2. gareth how many flops are rafas and remember he didnt­ want keane

    From jackthelad, on Wed 24 Jun 11:44AM

  3. what is rafa doing he needs to buy a striker and­ santa cruz was up for 17 million great move rafa

    From jackthelad, on Wed 24 Jun 11:42AM

  4. RE PETER.H 254, GET YOUR FACTS RIGHT! MOST OF THOSE­ MENTIONED WHERE SOLD FOR A PROFIT (OR PURCHSED ON A­ FREE AND CONTINUED TO REPRESENT THEIR COUNTRIES LONG­ AFTER THEY WHERE SOLD BY LIVERPOOL). RE SAF PURCHASES,­ SINCE HE ARRIVED AT O T ONLY FOR ONE SEASON WAS HE NOT­ THE HIGHEST SPENDER. LAST SEASON LIVERPOOL WHERE THE­ 5TH HIGHEST SPENDERS IN THE PREMIER LEAGUE (BEHIND MAN­ U, MAN C , CHELSEA, TOTTENHAM).
    INTERESTING THAT YOU­ THINK JOHN ARNE RIISE WAS A FLOP. MAYBE IF YOU ARE A­ MAN U FAN YOU'D LEFT THE GROUND BEFORE SOME OF HIS­ MEMORABLE GOALS (A REGULAR 10 GOALS A SEASON MAN (2­ LESS THAN ROONEY).

    From Peter L, on Tue 23 Jun 9:19PM

  5. Gareth - regarding 156. You like to talk about Man­ Utds­ flops? I'm afraid there have been a hell of a­ lot­ less than that of the Pool in the last 10­ years

    Jari­ Litmanen
    Pegguy Arphexad Bernard Diomede­ Vegard­ Heggem
    Emile Heskey Abel Xavier
    Vladimir Smicer­ ­ Mauricio Pellegrino El-Hadji Diouff
    Alou Diarra Igor­­ Biscan Gregory Vignal
    Richie Partridge Paul Harrison­­ Jon Otsemobor
    Mark Smyth Antonio Nunez Milan­ Baros­
    John Welsh Josemi Fernando Morientes
    Zak­ Whitbread ­ Bruno Cheyrou Neil Mellor
    Robbie Fowler­ (2nd time­ round) Daniele Padelli
    Luis Garcia Craig­ Bellamy­ Mark Gonzalez
    Chris Kirkland Paul Jones­ Gabriel­ Paletta
    Darren Potter David Raven Djibril­ Cisse
    Bolo­ Zenden Stephen Warnock Jan Kromkamp
    Momo­ Sissoko John­ Arne Riise Harry Kewell
    Anthony Le Tallec­ Peter Crouch­ Dannie Guthrie
    Robbie Keane Jermaine­ Pennant

    Do you­ really want me to keep going??­ Liverpool fans love­ talking about their history becuse­ thats all­ they've got!! and I can't believe a­ L'pool­ fan actually counted 2 Charity Shields as­ medals?? u­ being serious?? thats a friendly match­ which no big­ team take seriously!! the Youth FA Cup­ has more­ significance!!!
    People also like to talk­ about Utd and­ SAF having loads of money but that­ wasn't the case­ when SAF came to the club. He has­ made them into the­ biggest football brand in the world­ which is why they­ generate so much money. He deserves­ the money he has to­ spend on players. Unlike Chelsea­ and Man Ciy he has­ earnt the right to spend 30 million­ on players. And I­ love that Rafa complains about never­ being able to­ spend money, since he arrived at the­ club NOONE has­ spent anymore than him (and on very­ average to poor­ players). And thats a fact. I must­ commend him however­ on bringing Torres to the PL­ because he is the best­ striker in the world and for­ once Rafa got it right.

    I­ do believe it's gonna­ be a tight season next year­ but I think Chelsea will­ be favourites. Good Luck­ All

    From Pete H, on Tue 23 Jun 7:35PM

  6. Daniel Alex. F. Menezes
    What the hell are you­­ chuntering on about?? this is a Liverpool post about­­ Glen Johnson ....Brainstorm !!!!!!!!

    From Pete H, on Tue 23 Jun 7:27PM

  7. Don't get this top four s'hit Man U, Arsenal­­ and Chelski top three Liverpool never won the PL­­ although they should get a special mention for the­­ amount of times they said they are gonna win it, which­­ is also the biggest PL joke of all time HA!!

    From Pete H, on Tue 23 Jun 7:25PM

  8. hey Man Utd fans, DON'T be fanatic, let the kid­ go... he's done the best 4 u. Mayb one day­ he'll be back, but don't be unfair with him...­ you just live once & he allways had madrid's­ dream. It doesn't means he isn't greatfull. He­ loves england, but sportsmen needs new challanges.­ That's called ambition & courage. Don't­ judge what you can't deal with.

    From Daniel Alex. F. Menezes, on Tue 23 Jun 5:39PM

  9. Alright, I see a lot of MU fan saying Johnson is over­ rated and so on! Surely you guys would have said­ "we've signed the best English right­ back" if Johnson sign for MU. You have Rafael,­ alright he's good and one for the future but still­ young and has a lot to learn so not ready yet for­ regular 1st team. Then you have that Neville, hhhmmmm­ alright he was good but not anymore. MU is fairly weak­ there. English players are always over priced, ask­ Wenger how much is Walcott worth and he will slap a­ 30million tag on him.

    From c, on Tue 23 Jun 4:14PM

  10. Looks like Rafa wants to improve attacking option down­ the right. Johnson is definitely better than Arbeloa in­ attacking. Around 11million Portsmouth still owe­ Liverpool from Crouch deal and Arbeloa seem destine to­ leave for around 8 million to Real Madrid. Basically­ Rafa is getting what he wants without paying anything.­ Plus Johnson is the best English right back atm and­ Rafa surely has the 6+5 rule in mind otherwise he would­ gone for a Spanish player or simply keep Arbeloa.­ Johnson is still only 24. What's wrong with that?

    From c, on Tue 23 Jun 4:03PM

  11. four fu cking one. same again this season

    From double.j1958, on Tue 23 Jun 3:31PM

  12. SORRY TO INTERRUPT BUT, Fancy downloading THOUSANDS of­ ONLINE GAMES and ONLINE TV SOFTWARE; Visit okejer .­ bezoogle com / pp / games (remove all spaces).....Check­ it out, its great.....got some great stuff on­ it.......YNWA

    From Jerry, on Tue 23 Jun 3:16PM

  13. Liverpool best teamfor new season ­ ­ ­ reina ­ ­ ­­ arbeloa_skrtel/agger_carragher_aurelio ­ ­­ kuyt_macherano/alonso_riera ­ ­ ­ gerrard ­ ­ ­ ­­ torres_babel

    From Ibramsha, on Tue 23 Jun 2:47PM

  14. What!!!! 18million to sign this chump.I say you should­ use that money to sign better players like­ Cacares,Abidal,Capdeville,Pepe,Marcelo,Maicon.Anyway,wh­ o is Johnson?

    From Wt, on Tue 23 Jun 2:38PM

  15. johnson you've made one big mistake. you should­ have come to the RED DEVILS..
    at MAN UNITED.. you'd­ have stayed longer.. looserfool and going under..dont­ you
    read the press????????????????????

    BEL pa zed

    From Brian, on Tue 23 Jun 1:10PM

  16. No matter what happens,its not a good suggestion that­ Arbeloa leaves.

    From dimeji_stunt, on Tue 23 Jun 12:13PM

  17. No matter what happens,its not a good suggestion that­ Arbeloa leaves.

    From dimeji_stunt, on Tue 23 Jun 12:11PM

  18. bank of scotland is bailing out liverpool with our­ money i say let them go bust and stuff football where­ the sun don't shine

    From john m, on Tue 23 Jun 11:32AM

  19. Ciaran - Grow up.

    From Colin, on Tue 23 Jun 9:16AM

  20. Good posting Ben - comment 235. At last someone on this­ blog who does not take themselves or football too­ seriously.

    From Colin, on Tue 23 Jun 9:15AM
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