Hot property: Glen Johnson will be wanted by many
clubs.
Liverpool have launched a fresh £15million bid to land
Portsmouth right back Glen Johnson. Manager Rafa Benitez identified
the England defender as a target this season but did not have
anywhere near the budget to land the player.
However, Portsmouth still owe around £7m from the £12m transfer
of striker Peter Crouch last summer, and Benitez hopes to use that
to good effect in his bargaining for Johnson.
The 24-year-old former Chelsea defender signed an improved
four-year contract in January but would jump at the chance of a
move to Anfield as Benitez looks to add key signings in preparation
for a renewed assault on the Barclays Premier League title.
The Spaniard has been encouraged by his side's progress this
season and knows his recruitment this summer is pivotal to
Liverpool finally toppling fierce rivals Manchester United.
Pompey's financial problems - with owner Sacha Gaydamak still
looking for a buyer - mean they will want to drive the price as
high as possible, and Liverpool are wary of being dragged into an
auction with other clubs.
Tottenham are known to be interested in Johnson, and there will
be other bidders with easier access to funds than Benitez.
Liverpool have earmarked a chunk of their squad as being disposable
this summer, and the manager accepts he will have to offload
players to fund the signings he wants, which could slow the
process.
With Aston Villa midfielder Gareth Barry and United's Carlos
Tevez also on his wish list, Benitez might be forced to prioritise
and that could jeopardise the Johnson deal.
One way of raising funds would be to sell Xabi Alonso amid
growing interest from Real Madrid. If Benitez decides to sell the
Spain midfielder, he would rather do business with Real but he is
also weighing up other options.
Allowing Alonso to leave would be unpopular within the Liverpool
dressing room and also among fans, who voiced their displeasure
over plans to sell him to Juventus last summer to finance a deal
for Barry.
They repeatedly chanted for Alonso and against Barry, and both
deals subsequently fell through over differences in valuations.
But, while Juventus refused to pay £16m after weeks of haggling,
Real are unlikely to balk at Liverpool's asking price as they
prepare for a new era under president-elect Florentino Perez.
Real are keen to revive their fortunes after trailing Barcelona
in La Liga this season and crashing out to Liverpool in the
Champions League.
After being heavily criticised by fans for ditching their
interest in Alonso and settling instead for the cheaper option of
Denmark's Christian Poulsen, Juve could yet re-enter the race and
launch a second attempt to sign the 27-year-old.
Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina last night added more fuel to
the controversy over Alonso's possible departure by hailing his
form as the main reason for the Merseyside club running United so
close in this season's title race.
Reina said: 'Xabi is the player who always seems to have the
ball at his feet. He has shown repeatedly that he can pass it five
yards or 45, and every time it is just as good, just as
accurate.
'This has been his best season so far for Liverpool, and that
was the reason why we managed to push United so far in the title
race.'
