Glen Johnson has signed!

[Scratch]

Ahhh, i never realised Santa Cruz and the player arsenal signed were out of contract.

I must have missed the press conference where they were unveiled then?

[SK]

Ahhh, i never realised Santa Cruz and the player arsenal signed were out of contract.

they signed a contract but don't officially become players of the clubs they signed for until july 1. when the transfer window opens..

[Subby]

Sky sports news makes me laugh, they quickly talk about crap rumours etc etc and yet when there's an official story they take 10 whole mins to talk about it!!

and why is it so dead on here? we have just signed a top class player and its dead?

I wouldn't rate him top class imo he's English that's why he cost so much

[SK]

I must have missed the press conference where they were unveiled then?

[Vermilion]

they signed a contract but don't officially become players of the clubs they signed for until july 1. when the transfer window opens..

i see, i think.

[Vermilion]

so it being on the offal is not a sign of confirmation for you? as to why on july 1., its because the transfer window opens then, and you can't sign a player before that date (unless he's out of contract)

they signed a contract but don't officially become players of the clubs they signed for until july 1. when the transfer window opens..

confusing, for me anyway, but see what you mean. You can sign a contract but cannot BE signed before july 1st, or something like, weird way of doing things though.

[ronanm]

It's encouraging he opted for Liverpool rather than Chelsea - obviously putting ambition ahead of £££

[Vermilion]

It's encouraging he opted for Liverpool rather than Chelsea - obviously putting ambition ahead of £££

It is, we have though if the stories are true made him the best paid RB in the Prem, although the Chavs could no doubt have offered him more.

As Torres said, to go to a club for a little more cash would be greedy, when is enough enough, pity more players didn't put ambition before greed, when the sums involved are relatively similar in their massiveness for a weekly wage.

[Neil Young]

It's encouraging he opted for Liverpool rather than Chelsea - obviously putting ambition ahead of £££

Yeah? Maybe he didn't want to go back to a club where he failed before.

But of course he's one of ours now so his motives are pure.

[Nicey]

Yeah? Maybe he didn't want to go back to a club where he failed before.

But of course he's one of ours now so his motives are pure.

Perhaps he thinks we are a club Genuinely going places

[zimbo]

From The Echo

Why I had to splash out on Glen Johnson - Liverpool FC boss Rafa Benitez
Jun 23 2009 by David Prentice, Liverpool Echo

LIVERPOOL boss Rafa Benitez admitted today that his £17m capture of Glen Johnson was more than he wanted to spend on a full-back.
But he also revealed that the huge outlay does not signal the end of his summer spending.
With Chelsea also willing to pay Portsmouth’s asking price for the England defender, Benitez admitted: “Sometimes you have to spend a little bit more.
“You can’t compete in the top four of the Premier League unless you spend some money.
“We were looking for a player of quality and also somebody who is British because of the new Champions League rules.
“Glen Johnson fits both categories.”
The player has agreed a deal with the Reds and is expected to formally put pen to paper in the next 48 hours.
And he may not be the last new face at Anfield this summer.
“We have a plan,” added Benitez. “We can sign one more player if necessary, but that’s without any players leaving.”

Benitez is bracing himself for a bid from Real Madrid for Alvaro Arbeloa. but he is also concerned by the increasing speculation surrounding midfielders Xabi Alonso and Javier Mascherano.
The Reds boss has made it clear that he would not welcome bids for either player, but while Real have publicly stated their interest in Alonso has ended, Barcelona are refusing to give up on Mascherano despite Benitez’s very firm hands-off warning.
First to leave, however, could be Arbeloa.
“Alvaro Arbeloa has had a very good season but he has one year left on his contract,” said the Reds boss. “If he signs that will be good because we will have more competition, but if we get a good offer we will have to consider it.”
Benitez is also hoping that on-loan players Sebastien Leto and Andriy Voronin could bring in more transfer funds, while a return to Italy for Andrea Dossena is also on the cards.
The Reds also completed the signing of two junior players yesterday.
Spanish press reported the signing of 15-year-old Jesus Joaquin Fernandez from Cadiz.
The Reds are said to have beaten off competition from Barcelona, Real Madrid, Sevilla and Villarreal for the midfielder’s services.
Liverpool have also sealed the signing of teenage striker Aaron King from Rushden and Diamonds.
King, 16, impressed during a recent trial period at Anfield and has now signed a two-year scholarship agreement.
“We are all absolutely thrilled for Aaron – this is a brilliant achievement for everyone involved in his development throughout the five years that he has been with us,” Rushden’s head of youth development Paul Driver said.

[ronanm]

Yeah? Maybe he didn't want to go back to a club where he failed before.

But of course he's one of ours now so his motives are pure.

I believe Man City were in for him too.. So, although he'll get a hike in wages, he's not quite the mercenary Barry is.

[Kenneth]

confusing, for me anyway, but see what you mean. You can sign a contract but cannot BE signed before july 1st, or something like, weird way of doing things though.

Confusing indeed, seeing as a contract with is effectively an agreement to agree is not valid under English Law.

[dww]

Is it possible that the contract signed before the 1st of July is in force but it is contingent on the successful of player registration - which is what can only occur in transfer windows.

[sambirken]

Is it possible that the contract signed before the 1st of July is in force but it is contingent on the successful of player registration - which is what can only occur in transfer windows.

Yep something like that. Seems quite simple to me. You can sign a contract that runs from 1st of july before the first of july, and this would probably be dependant on successful player registration or something. I'm sure the lawyers have simple solutions to such problems