Blackpool's Charlie Adam heading to Liverpool in £7m deal

                         

Scotland's Charlie Adam battles for possession with Ramires at the Emirates in March, in a friendly Brazil won 2-0. Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

Liverpool's arduous six-month pursuit of Charlie Adam has finally paid dividends after they agreed a fee of £7m rising to £8.5m for Blackpool's influential midfielder.

Adam, who was driven to Liverpool's Melwood training ground for a medical on Wednesday by the manager, Kenny Dalglish, had been subject of an identical bid from Anfield in January but Blackpool rejected the offer to enhance their prospects of staying in the Premier League.

That mission failed but Dalglish's interest in the 25-year-old remained and, subject to the medical, the Scotland midfielder should become Liverpool's second major transfer of the summer on Thursday. His preference has been for a move to Anfield despite interest from Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa in January, and personal terms should not present a problem.

The two clubs have engaged in protracted negotiations since the end of the season, with Blackpool rejecting lower offers from Liverpool plus the chance to take Jonjo Shelvey and Stephen Darby on loan. The deal is an initial £7m to Blackpool plus a potential £1.5m in add-ons.

Adam cost Blackpool £500,000 when he joined from Rangers in 2009, having been on loan previously, and scored 28 goals in 78 appearances during a two-year spell for Ian Holloway's side.

The midfielder is likely to be followed swiftly by the Roma goalkeeper Alexander Doni, if he can negotiate a release. Doni is under contract until 2013 but his agent, Ovidio Colucci, said: "In the next 36 hours we will know something definite. Liverpool are interested and there is the agreement between the two clubs and with the player. Doni is in Italyright now. We just have to ratify certain details with Roma. If the deal is completed, Doni will join Liverpool on a free transfer and will sign a two-year contract. Doni is happy with the chance to go to Liverpool and play in the Premier League."

Liverpool, who have already signed Jordan Henderson from Sunderland for £16m, remain keen to sign Stewart Downing despite having a £15m offer for the England international rejected by Aston Villa, and the impending arrivals of Adam and Doni will now intensify their efforts to find buyers for Alberto Aquilani and the reserve goalkeeper Brad Jones, among others.

They have also extended Glen Johnson's £120,000-a-week deal, which had two years remaining. The 26-year-old was expected to leave during Roy Hodgson's ill-fated reign but has enjoyed an upturn in fortunes under the Scot.

Liverpool's director of football, Damien Comolli, said: "We were in talks for a few weeks, but it was easy to find an agreement because he wanted to stay and we wanted him to stay. We are very pleased he wants to commit long term, and I think he was pleased we went to him and asked him to commit long term. His best years are to come. Very often defenders peak between 26 and 31, so he is just entering into those years where a maturity comes in and his knowledge of the game gets better and better."

Sources: College Football Newsletter