Glen Johnson has agreed a four-year contract with Liverpool after completing his transfer from Portsmouth.
The England right-back moves to Anfield in a reported £17million deal.
Johnson, 24, becomes manager Rafael Benitez's first signing of the summer as he seeks to build a squad capable of going one better than last season's second-place finish in the Barclays Premier League.
Benitez has admitted he had to act quickly in a "crazy" market to secure the signing.
The Reds boss has already accepted he paid over the odds for the England international but stressed there were many factors which made the deal the right one for the club.
After after a summer which has already seen the £59million transfer of Kaka - and the expected £80million move of Cristiano Ronaldo - to Real Madrid, Benitez is happy with the outlay on his first signing of the summer.
"We knew the market was going to be difficult this summer and some of it has been crazy," said Benitez.
"Manchester City and Chelsea were there - they were making offers. We had to be quick and the club acted quickly.
"It was down to the player whether he chose us or City or Chelsea and he chose us.
"It was very clear from talking to him that he wanted to play for Liverpool."
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glen is on the boarder of becoming a world class full back! and @ liverpool this will happen. title number 19 for liverpool this coming season!
as united cant replace ronnie and carlos
Portsmouth still owed Liverpool around £7m for Peter Crouch. That means that although the reported outlay is £18m, its really only around £11m. Great signing and we now have a full back who is going to be capable of starting attacks from the back properly and that will help to break teams down who come to Anfield and 'park the bus'.
what liverpool need is a left back and a right back who are capable of attacking at the pace of the premier league and with glen johnsons arrival we just need a left back now...
Great signing rafa he will shine well this season
Real Madrid have once again turned the transfer market stupid, if it took 17 or 18 mil to get a right back that everyone wants, so be it, and if Rafa left it any longer it would've been 20 mil, but I didn't think we really needed a right back, Arbeloa was ok this year, but really apart from the big names no one has a clue who to sign this summer, City, Chelsea, United with all there cash don't seem to know who to buy, I think we'll be seeing some really stupid prices paid for an absolute load of @#$% before the summer ends.
Johnson chose Liverpool over Man City and Chelsea because Liverpool's expectations are much lower. Apparently according to the scouse muppet bin dippers a good season for Liverpool is winning nothing and coming second. I thank you.
I think its a good signing. But remember when we could have had Dani Alves for 8mil in 2006, but we didn't pony up the money. I know the market has drastically changed since then, but oh, what could have been.
18 mil a bit over priced but not exessive for a very good right back ,hopefully he will be alowed to push forward and get in some telling crosses and chip in with a few goals as well ,just need to get wesley shnider for another top midfielder instead of lucas
Good! Now we have someone who will track back on that side. Carragher has been carrying Arbeloa for far too long...Probably what he was trying to tell him when we were playing West Brom last month.
Thus is the dumbest move of the whole transfer season so far. 18 million for Glen Johnson? Its a joke.
Good player yes, but more 10 mil or around there.
Ah!!! comment No6. You must be a BONEHEAD Utd supporter????
GO AND DO SOME IRONING OR WASHING HALFWIT!!!!!
Tell me one player you have seen purchased so far thta is VALUE FOR MONEY
The world has gone mad on what they purchase players for nowadays
Rafa does know what he is doing and will get the best out of Johnson. So will Carragher, Gerrard
YNWA!!!
THE FAT SPANISH WAITER IS AS ALWAYS WASTING MONEY ON AVERAGE PLAYERS
YNWA-YOU´LL NEVER WIN ANYTHING
Glen Johnson is a good player £18m ? that's questionable. I think rafa could have possibly spent his money more wisely elsewhere.
Glen had a bad time at chelsea, he was a young lad that probably needed to play a lot of football which he didn't get at chelsea, so he did the right thing and moved to a different club to play football (portsmouth) , a lot of players would have quite happily warmed the bench so credit to him. Maybe he is the sort of player we need at anfield, someone who wants to play.
In Rafa we trust!
YNWA
he's a young fit and a upcoming class player he will only get better rafa knows what he's doing . good sighning rafa.
Thank you Rafa and Johnson
Because Arbeloa isnt up to delivering thats why!!!
Johnson is a fantastic ATTACKING full-back who will help change the side in to a title winning side, THATS WHY!!!!!
WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY Y
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