Featured Image Credit: PA
Topics: Fernando Torres, Liverpool, Rafael Benitez, Premier League, Transfers
Ryan Smart
Topics: Fernando Torres, Liverpool, Rafael Benitez, Premier League, Transfers
A phone call from Fernando Torres helped to convince former Liverpool defender Glen Johnson to join the club over Chelsea and Manchester City in 2011.
Johnson moved to Anfield in 2009, after a three-year spell at Portsmouth where he won an FA Cup and played European football.
After an excellent stint at Fratton Park following his departure from Chelsea, the defender established himself in the England setup and as one of the Premier League's top full-backs.
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His move to Liverpool saw him win the League Cup in 2012, and he was a regular starter in the side that finished in second place in the Premier League under Brendan Rodgers in 2013/14.
He racked up exactly 200 appearances in all competitions as a Reds player before his release in 2015, before spending the final three seasons of his career at Stoke.
Johnson has since opened up on what led to him joining Liverpool, turning down the advances of Manchester City and Chelsea - who were interested in re-signing him - in the process.
Johnson on Torres phone call
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One of the Reds' key players at the time was Fernando Torres, with the Spaniard having signed from Atletico Madrid in 2007.
He smashed in 38 Premier League goals across his first two campaigns at the club. By that stage, he was still 18 months away from his ill-fated £50 million move to Chelsea.
And Johnson, speaking in a 2021 interview, explained how the Liverpool striker, as well as star team-mates Steven Gerrard and Xabi Alonso, played a significant role in his decision to move to Anfield, despite Liverpool's inability to consistently challenge for the Premier League title in the seasons prior to his arrival.
He told the Liverpool Echo: "If a club like Liverpool comes knocking, you obviously immediately have an eye on it and an interest.
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"But what swung it was we played for England that summer, just before I signed, and I had a good chat with Stevie. And then I spoke to Torres and Alonso as well before signing.
"I just thought these were some of the best players in the world. They don't need to phone me but they were phoning me to let me know how much they wanted me to join.
"Straight away, I felt like I knew them and it made me feel super welcome before I signed, and everything just felt right."