Johnson agrees to Liverpool move

Portsmouth and England defender Glen Johnson is moving to Liverpool for £17.5M. Chelsea and Man City were also looking to buy the 24 year old from Portsmouth, but decided that Liverpool was the place to go. The former Chelsea player had limited outings during his time there but after a move to Portsmouth in he established himself in Fabio Capello's England setup. It is understood Pompey still owe Liverpool £7m from the deal that saw them buy Peter Crouch last summer.

A Liverpool statement said: "We have reached an agreement with Portsmouth and Glen Johnson for the transfer of the player to Anfield."

Johnson is Liverpool's first signing this summer and due to Liverpool operating under financial restrictions, boss Rafa Benitez will be ready to sell Andrea Dossena to help fund the transfer.
Portsmouth paid £4M for 24-year-old defender Johnson who has emerged as Benitez main target after having top notch performances throughout the year at Fratton Park last season. Spaniard Alvaro Arbeola could also be going out of Liverpool to raise money for the Johnson deal, with Real Madrid being in the forefront of an £8M bid.

Johnson had signed a new four year deal at Pompey at the start of the year, but club officials conceded that they would not stand in his way if bigger clubs came knocking for his signature. The move to Liverpool will assure that Johnson plays Champions League football next season.