Chelsea agree Johnson's fee
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FIRST SIGNING: Glen Johnson could be the first signing of the summer
RAFA BENITEZ is on the verge of making Glen Johnson Liverpool’s first summer signing after Chelsea beat a tactical retreat in their chase for the England defender.
Portsmouth are understood to have agreed a fee with Liverpool following more talks yesterday that could eventually reach £18.5 million for one of the Premier League’s most daring full-backs.
Liverpool will offset the outlay by selling Alvaro Arbeloa to Real Madrid for around £8m.
They are also still owed £7m from Portsmouth as part of the deal that took Peter Crouch to Fratton Park last summer.
Johnson, 24, had been the subject of a similar bid from Chelsea, but sources at Stamford Bridge last night indicated that their interest in a player who only left the club two years ago had waned.
Anfield boss Benitez’s long-standing interest in Johnson is thought to have been a major factor in the player indicating he preferred a move to Merseyside.
Manchester City, Tottenham and Bayern Munich had also been keen on Johnson, but the prospect of helping Liverpool push on from last season’s second-place finish in the Premier League appeals.
Despite the size of the fee, it is an indication of the constraints that Benitez is working under that Arbeloa, who began his career at Real Madrid, will be sacrificed to help fund the cash.
Real president Florentino Perez is pursuing other high-profile targets first, among those being Xabi Alonso, because he is aware that a move for Arbeloa will be straightforward.
Benitez is also likely to allow Andrea Dossena to return to Italy after just one season at the club with Juventus interested in a £6m deal.
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Go Dossena , Go Arbeloa .... In Johnson .
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Looked like Johnson got better sense . He chose UCL over $$$ .
To go to Man City , he gets £100,00 per week , but i don't think Rafa going to pay him that kind of wages .
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The right club for Johnson .... not sure if Liverpool got the right man .
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Rumoured to be £80,000 per week wages at Anfield .
Ok la , good wages , within our limit .
So Liverpool has got Carragher , Gerrard and now Johnson for the Englishmen quotas .
If we want to play 3.5.2 formations , Johnson is quite handy when attacking .
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Wad about Pennant
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He good meh? I prefer signing attacking players like Villa and Silva, I feel its whats needed.
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if no good , why Capello chose him ahead of so many right backs ??
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Villa admitted Liverpool is out of the way !!!
We still have a chance on Silva .... depends on any bidder .
If no other bidder , we have a chance .
Every Spanish would want to play for us .
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Chelsea have matched Liverpool's bid for England star Glen Johnson.
Portsmouth accepted a £17.5million bid from Liverpool earlier this week and the 24-year-old looked set to seal a move to Anfield.
However, Pompey chief Peter Storrie has confirmed the club have also now agreed terms with Chelsea - Johnson's former club.
The in-demand full-back now has a decision to make, with both sides keen to tie up a deal this week.
"The matter will come to a conclusion at the beginning of next week. I do not have a preference over the move, it is up to Glen," Storrie said.
"The deals are almost identical so it really is down to him and what club he prefers, which one is going to pay him more money.
"Glen wants to play regularly in the Champions League, he has got himself back in the England side so I understand that. Sometimes you have to be fair to players."
Storrie admits that Johnson needs to be playing Champions League football next season in order to secure his place in Fabio Capello's starting XI - with the World Cup finals now less than 12 months away.
"It's a big year for him with the World Cup coming up," he continued.
"Playing Champions League football will make him an even better player than he is today."
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zzz so which team he gonna play...
i gt an idea, Liverpool VS Chelsea (for him) and i wan Liverpool to lose, he really nothing leh (use the 17m to buy Villa la) -
Pompey playing games ? or Johnson's agent playing $$$ game ?
I think Johnson will still come to L'pool , even if Chelsea pay him more .
See how ....