Benitez gazumped as Pompey accept last-minute £18m Chelsea bid for Johnson

19 June 2009 10:09
Liverpool look to have been gazumped by Chelsea in the race to sign defender Glen Johnson from Portsmouth. The 24-year-old looked set to sign for the Reds after boss Rafael Benitez had an £18m offer accepted this week but Pompey have accepted an identical bid from the Londoners to resign a player they sold two years ago. It is now down to Johnson to decide although he has reportedly told friends he favours a move to Merseyside and Portsmouth executive chairman Peter Storrie said: '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. '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 added in the Sun: 'It's a big year for him with the World Cup coming up. Playing Champions League football will make him an even better player than he is today.' Right-back Johnson made just 41 Premier League appearances in years during his four years at Chelsea and might be reluctant to return and become a bit-part player again.

Source: Daily_Mail