Portsmouth fullback Glen Johnson will join Liverpool as one of the club's biggest earners.

The Independent says Johnson has been drawn towards a £17m move to Liverpool by a salary which will make him one of the club's highest earners.

The England international defender's earnings at Anfield will be eclipsed only by the club's elite players, Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres, if, as expected, he becomes one of the most expensive full-backs in history and signs next week.

As well as the substantial wage, thought to be £80,000-a-week net of tax, Liverpool are also prepared to fork out £5m more for Johnson than the £12m valuation set by Portsmouth which they balked at last summer.

Regarding full-backs, only Barcelona's Dani Alves and Lilian Thuram have moved for more than the figure Liverpool are set to pay for Johnson.