Benitez blasts City’s transfer philosophy
The Liverpool boss has spent £17m (€19m) on the England full-back, a large chunk of which is wiped out by the cash Portsmouth still owe the Anfield club from the Peter Crouch deal.
And while Benitez played hardball with Xabi Alonso and Javier Mascherano over their long-term futures, he accepts that the market was now “crazy” and dominated by money.
He even admitted that he had tried again to sign Gareth Barry this summer from Aston Villa, but he eventually went to City.
Benitez said: “We had to pay big money, the market is now crazy. It is all money, money, money now. But we were signing a good player, an England player, and that is very positive.
“He has a good mentality, and when I spoke to him first it was clear he wanted to come here. Things have changed. You have to adapt to a situation. Manchester City and big clubs in Europe are spending big money, so the market has changed.
“You have to do that to stay at the level we are at because of the big money being spent here and abroad.”
City also wanted Johnson, but Benitez said: “It was difficult, some clubs are offering big money. But he wanted to come here, that was the difference.
“We did go back again for Barry, but as I said. it is all about money, money, money. It is as simple as that.”
On City’s influence on the market and their prospects for next term, Benitez added: “City have signed a lot of good players, but that is no guarantee they will win anything. But it will be interesting to see what happens.
“But whatever happens, experience is more important and we feel that we have that to be in the top positions.
“If you spend big it is always easier to perform well. But when you have a good understanding between players that is also important. If they are together, they work hard, that is just as important.”
Benitez has also had to contend with a summer of transfer speculation over Alonso, wanted by Real Madrid, and Mascherano, a target for European champions Barcelona.
But although it is believed both players are being swayed by the advances of the Spanish club, Benitez made it clear that he does not want to sell and would like some loyalty from the pair.
He said: “I do not think Alonso or Mascherano will go. It is clear that they both are under contract with long-term agreements. That is it.
“There has been a lot of things written, a lot of rumours, but both players are under contract and we have no more need to talk about things.
“They are both very good players and I will be very pleased to keep them. They both have very good contracts.
“We signed them both from different situations. Alonso was coming from Real Sociedad and nobody had really heard much of him outside of Spain, he did well and we renewed his contract because of that.
“Mascherano came from West Ham where he had not been doing well. We brought him here and gave him a good contract, so we are very pleased with them both and that Liverpool has been very good to them.”
For his part, Johnson insisted it was an ‘easy decision’ to spurn Chelsea and Manchester City before committing himself to Liverpool.
Johnson said: “There were other clubs in for me but I didn’t really come close to going back to Chelsea. Once I spoke to Rafa (Benitez) and knew what he wanted from me, it was an easy decision.
“The key was that he was keen to help me improve and turn me into a better player.
“Once I’d heard about Liverpool, and realising I would be playing with some really great players, it was an easy decision.”
He added: “This is a fantastic club with great history and it is a great opportunity for me.
“I’ve always had a soft spot for them. When I was growing up in south London, my mum bought me my first football kit and it was a Liverpool one.
“This is a great team and a great squad and we will make it difficult for anyone playing against us.
“We can win the title, we can all improve, pick up a few more points and see where that takes us.”
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