Johnson sale lets Everton raise Moutinho bid

EVERTON WILL return to Sporting Lisbon with a club-record €19 million offer for Joao Moutinho, having agreed to sell Andy Johnson to Fulham for a fee that could rise to €16.5 million.

Johnson, 27, underwent a medical in London yesterday and, barring unforeseen problems, may be confirmed as Fulham's record signing today.

The former Crystal Palace striker has agreed terms with the Cottagers and favours a return to the capital over Wigan and Sunderland, who were both prepared to match the initial €13.3 million Everton are to receive.

Fulham's basic offer gives Everton an eye-catching profit on a player who struggled to build on an impressive start at Goodison Park, and Everton claim the price will rise by €3.2 million to €16.5 million, depending on appearances.

Johnson scored six league goals in his first seven games for them after a then club-record €11 million move from Palace in May 2006 but, hindered by an ankle problem and then the form of Yakubu Ayegbeni, he only matched that tally in the entire league campaign last season.

Despite that return last season, and David Moyes' preference for playing Yakubu as a lone striker last season, the Everton manager was reluctant to sell Johnson this summer. However, he has been told his transfer budget stands at approximately €19 million plus whatever he can raise through sales and, desperate to improve his central midfield and hopeful of adding five faces to a slender squad, he accepted the occasional England international represented a solution to that dilemma.

Johnson's anticipated departure will leave Moyes in need of a striker, with Tottenham's Darren Bent and Real Zaragoza's Diego Milito under consideration, but the priority is midfield and Sporting's prized asset, Moutinho.

Everton had an €15 million bid rejected for the 21-year-old Portugal international on Saturday, but Moutinho publicly confirmed his desire to move to Goodison.

TONIGHT'S FIXTURES (7.45 unless stated)

Uefa Champions League Second Qualifying Round first leg - SK Brann v FK Ventspils; Inter Baku v Partizan Belgrade (3pm); Drogheda Utd v Dynamo Kiev. Uefa Cup First Qualifying Round second leg - FC Nordsjaelland v TVMK Tallinn (6pm)

League of Ireland: First Division - Athlone Town v Waterford Utd; Monaghan Utd v Shelbourne (8pm)