Blues manager Alex McLeish paid £5m to snap up the 26-year-old on a three-year-deal which will keep him at St Andrews until the summer of 2012.

It is a club record for a defender but Johnson knows that fact will not guarantee him an automatic first-team place.

Johnson is the third centre-back to be signed by Blues manager Alex McLeish this summer after Scott Dann and Giovanny Espinoza and he is relishing the competition for places.

But he told Birmingham's official website: "Competition (for places) is good. We had it at Cardiff when I first signed and I had to battle my way into the side.

"I am not frightened to do that. I am not expecting to walk into the side. I will battle it out with the other boys and I am sure they are thinking the same."

As regards the fee, Johnson said: "The fee in a way does add a bit of pressure, but I will just do what I do.

"It is a massive fee but I take pressure in my stride and just crack on. Hopefully I will do as well as I did at Cardiff and do the same for Birmingham."

With the new season a little over two months away, Johnson is looking forward to pitting his wits against the top players of the Barclays Premier League.

He said: "I have played in an FA Cup final and I just want to play Premier League football. I am just looking forward to getting out there and playing.

"It will be amazing to go to Manchester United on the opening day of the season and hopefully I will be in the starting line-up but, as I keep saying, I just can't wait to start playing for Birmingham City."

Johnson was a revelation after his arrival at Ninian Park in 2006 from Wycombe Wanderers.

Last season he was named in the Championship team of the year following a sustained spell of impressive displays for the Bluebirds.

Johnson began his career at Wycombe and was captain before sealing a move to Cardiff for £275,000 after making 183 appearances for the Chairboys.

He was a virtual ever-present for Cardiff last term, scoring five goals for Dave Jones' side.

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