He told BBC Radio Cambridgeshire: "When he starts playing for us people will get to know him very quickly, he's a quality player.
"He's a lad I've been keeping in touch with and I've been keeping in touch with the manager."
He added: "As long as the club are still happy with the agreement we made at the end of the season, then I'm hoping to get him in by the start of pre-season training."
Johnson, who oversaw Posh's last four games before they were relegated from the Championship last season, has inherited a large squad from previous managers Darren Ferguson, Mark Cooper and Jim Gannon, and admits he needs to decrease the numbers at London Road.
He said: "There's a lot of players at our club at the moment, miles too many.
There's no news and for me, as a manager, no news is good news
Peterborough United manager Gary Johnson on interest in his star players
"We haven't got to get out before we get in, but the chairman would like it."
Three players who have been touted as leaving this summer are winger George Boyd, and strikers Craig Mackail-Smith and Aaron McLean.
The trio are reported to be in demand but Johnson insists he has yet to receive an approach for any of them.
"There's no news and for me, as a manager, no news is good news," he said.
"Of course there might be somebody, somewhere who comes in and it's an offer you can't refuse but, at this moment in time, they've all got to get their heads round playing for Peterborough United next season.
"I've had a chat with all of them and they're all decent lads and I'm sure if they realise there's been nothing on the horizon for them they'll get their heads down and work very hard."
Johnson also suggested midfielder Toumani Diagouraga would be free to leave for League Two Barnet, but only if the Bees can match their valuation of the 22-year-old.
Source: BBC Sport
Source: BBC Sport