Liverpool FC Forum

by **Owzat** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 8:41 am

According to newspaper reports today, this deal is close to completion

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport....ez.html

Last updated at 12:38 AM on 13th June 2009

Rafa Benitez will step up his efforts to finance a deal for Glen Johnson over the weekend and hopes to unveil the England right back as his first summer signing in the next few days.

Manchester City and Bayern Munich have enquired about Johnson, but Chelsea are Liverpool's chief rivals for his signature after having a £17million bid accepted by Portsmouth, as revealed in Sportsmail last week.

However, Benitez remains confident of seeing off the 24-year-old's former club after it emerged that Anfield would be his preferred destination.

Raising the necessary finance appears to be the Liverpool manager's main stumbling block, but it is understood he is ready to utilise an outstanding amount from Peter Crouch's move to Portsmouth - thought to be around £7million - to top up his available funds and match Chelsea's £17million offer.
That should be enough to push a deal through for a player who has become Benitez's No 1 target in recent weeks.

Johnson's attacking forays down the right for Portsmouth and, in particular, England have convinced Benitez of his worth, but his arrival will leave little leeway for further strengthening.
Benitez has also lodged a £2m bid for Johnson's Fratton Park team-mate Sylvain Distin, but will have to consider selling before making any other signings.

He could raise badly needed revenue by sacrificing Yossi Benayoun after reports in Israel that Tottenham, as well as Barcelona, had made an approach for the midfielder.

Benayoun has been priced at £12m for foreign clubs but would cost even more for any of Liverpool's Barclays Premier League rivals.

by **DrPepe** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 9:04 am

17m on g Johnson?

What's the world coming to?

by **Ace Ventura** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 9:05 am

17 million seems overpriced but i am convinced that if we sign him he will prove a very good player for us.

He may not be the best defender but like loads of people have pointed out he offers so much more going forward than Arbeloa and considering we dominate the majority of games that would be a useful weapon.

Dont want to sell Yossi though, not at all. He chips in with loads of goals and isnt one of those players that expects to play every game - he knows we will use the squad.

by **Igor Zidane** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 9:15 am

£17 million for a load of :censored:

. Johnson is poo, he was :censored:

against a bunch of farmers in kazakstan and threw in a couple of balls against friggen Andorra . Chelsea players were right ,his nickname at chelsea was badjohnson . Stick with albert and bring young darby through.

by **Owzat** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 9:45 am

Does beg the question what Rafa is thinking with some of the fees he splashes out.

07/08 Babel £11.5m
08/09 Keane £19m/£20.3m
09/10 Johnson £17m ?

£48.8m well spent? Maybe the right players, definitely not at the right prices. Babel for £7m would have been a young player with potential, £11.5m was too much. And who says Rafa hasn't had money, the problem isn't how much he's had but what he's done with it in the main. For every Torres there's a Keane, for every Alonso there's a Babel, for every Agger there's a Bellamy, for every Reina there's a Morientes, for every Riera there's a Dossena, for every Aurelio there's a Degen - comparing players at opposite ends of the scale of success, but being picked by price not (necessarily) position.

By the way the "good" players vs "bad" players listed works out at £51.3m vs £51.5m, so £102.4m for a dozen players and half of them were poor signings/value.

by **Ace Ventura** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 10:00 am

Igor Zidane wrote:£17 million for a load of . Johnson is poo, he was against a bunch of farmers in kazakstan and threw in a couple of balls against friggen Andorra . Chelsea players were right ,his nickname at chelsea was badjohnson . Stick with albert and bring young darby through.

Totally disagree mate.

I agree that he was poor against Kazakstan (however its spelt)
But to me it was more down to over confidence and underestimating there left sided wide player.
He was by far there best player him and looks a decent player as well.
Anyway i dont think anyone is disputing the fact that defensively he isnt the best.
But going forwards he does offer far more than Arbeloa. He scores goals has a decent shot with either foot. Has a turn of pace that Alvaro doesnt have and can beat a man as well.
His crossing looks half decent an all.

For the teams that come to anfield with the only thought of defending he could be very useful.
I think the price does appear OTT by a lot but i dont think if he signed that he would be a poor signing.

Chelsea might of had that nickname for him, but since then he has come on leaps and bounds.

I hope we get him.

by **Owzat** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 10:10 am

I'm getting deja vu, I've had that feeling before

by **Toffeehater** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 11:00 am

Johnsen should tell chelsea to stick it , they treated him like :censored:

when he was there and if he has any ounce of dignity in him he would turn his back on them now

by **destro** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 12:56 pm

SSN are reporting Portsmouth have received a bid for Johnson, it doesnt reveal who it is from at the moment........I wonder

by **Toffeehater** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 12:57 pm

I hope its us as chelsea should have submitted their bid a couple of days back .

by **Toffeehater** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 12:58 pm

destro wrote:SSN are reporting Portsmouth have received a bid for Johnson, it doesnt reveal who it is from at the moment........I wonder

Real Madrid :laugh:

by **Alex G.** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 12:59 pm

Probably Chelsea or Tottenham.

by **destro** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 1:05 pm

Changed now to Us Chelsea and City all bidding, who will win

by **Toffeehater** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 1:10 pm

Pompey don't really have to sell though , johnsen could say he wants to come here , but i doubt he'll go to chelsea for money or city

by **destro** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 1:12 pm

They are skint, they have no sponsorship for next season, their so called saviour Thaksin Shinawatra has been told by the Premier League that he has no chance of being involved in a takeover, go in hard now, tell them we want Johnson or the remaining money for Crouch right now !

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