Johnson is an attacking right-back that has spent most of the last decade playing top-flight football in the English Premier League and as a valuable member of the England setup. Johnson came through the youth ranks at West Ham, where he made his debut in 2003 aged 19, after a successful spell on loan at rivals Millwall. West Ham couldn't avoid relegation that season, and after the demotion Johnson moved across London to Chelsea, in a £6 million transfer that was Roman Abromavich's first as the owner of the team. Wearing the number 2 shirt, Johnson went on to win the Premier League and the League Cup in 2004-2005, but was deemed surplus to requirements and sent on loan to Portsmouth in 2006.
After one year at Pompey, Johnson was bought outright by the seasiders for £4 million. He became an integral part of the side, and was a vital part of the FA Cup winning team in 2008. Johnson's exploits meant he was constantly linked with a move back to a bigger club, and in 2009 he moved to Merseyside with Liverpool. Retaining his number 2 shirt, Johnson has performed well in the midst of several injury-affected seasons for the Reds, scoring 6 times in his Liverpool career thus far.
Johnson has also been heavily involved with the England team since his debut in 2003 against Denmark. He missed out on the 2006 World Cup but remained in the setup until cementing his place at right-back in 2008, under Fabio Capello. He has played 34 times for his country, with his solitary goal coming against Mexico in 2010.
