The impact of Fernando Torres: How a phone call secured Liverpool’s £17.5m transfer triumph

In a pivotal turn of events, former Liverpool defender Glen Johnson revealed that it was a phone call from Fernando Torres that convinced him to choose Liverpool over Chelsea and Manchester City in 2011.

Johnson had joined Liverpool in 2009, following a successful stint at Portsmouth where he won an FA Cup and experienced European football. During his time at Fratton Park, he emerged as one of the Premier League’s top full-backs and earned a place in the England national team.

Upon his arrival at Liverpool, Johnson played a vital role in the club’s success, including winning the League Cup in 2012 and being a regular starter in the team that finished second in the Premier League under Brendan Rodgers in the 2013/14 season. He made 200 appearances in all competitions for the Reds before being released in 2015, eventually ending his career at Stoke City.

Reflecting on his decision to join Liverpool, Johnson recently shed light on the factors that led to his choice, which involved rejecting the advances of Manchester City and Chelsea, who were keen on re-signing him.

One influential figure in Johnson’s decision-making process was Fernando Torres, a key player for Liverpool at the time. Torres had joined Liverpool from Atletico Madrid in 2007 and had established himself as a prolific goalscorer, netting 38 Premier League goals in his first two seasons at the club. Interestingly, Torres was still 18 months away from his controversial £50 million move to Chelsea.

In a 2021 interview, Johnson recounted how Torres, along with star teammates Steven Gerrard and Xabi Alonso, played a significant role in persuading him to make the switch to Anfield, despite Liverpool’s recent inability to consistently challenge for the Premier League title.

Speaking to the Liverpool Echo, Johnson shared, “If a club like Liverpool comes knocking, you obviously immediately have an eye on it and an interest. 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.”

He continued, “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.”

Thanks to the influential phone call from Fernando Torres and the assurance from esteemed teammates, Glen Johnson made the decision to join Liverpool, marking a pivotal moment in his career and solidifying his place in the club’s history.