Adam Johnson during the International Friendly match between England and the Netherlands at Wembley Stadium in 2012 (Getty)
His career appeared to be heading in the right direction when City paid £8m for him January 2010, but some believe he made a poor choice in signing for Manchester City.
Financially the move made sense. City were offering him more money than anyone else and he turned down a move to Sunderland as a result. The club’s then manager, Steve Bruce, had been chasing his signature for months, but was forced to concede defeat when City entered the bidding.
Initially, things went well. Johnson was popular with City supporters and appeared to be fulfilling his vast potential.
Adam Johnson during the premiership match between Manchester City v Wigan Athletic in March 2010 (PA)
City won the FA Cup in 2011 with Johnson picking up a winner’s medal, but Johnson began to spend more time on the bench during their title winning campaign the following year. The competition for places at a club like City, that wanted to buy success as quickly as possible, was always going to put him at risk.
Unable to hold down a regular place in the team at club level, Johnson’s international career stalled under Fabio Capello. Even when he has been at his very best for Sunderland, Roy Hodgson has ignored him.
His move to Sunderland was largely motivated by a desire to resurrect his England career and he signed for the club he supported as a boy for £10m in the summer of 2012. Liverpool and Tottenham were also interested in recruiting him, but Johnson was persuaded to return to his native north east by former Black Cats manager Martin O’Neill.
Adam Johnson has been at Sunderland since August 2012 (Getty)
It has not quite worked out as either intended. O’Neill was sacked in Johnson’s first season at the Stadium of Light and he has struggled to have a consistent impact on games. Having move to Sunderland to play regularly, the 27-year-old has even been dropped to the bench at times.
There are doubts about Johnson’s ability to stick to team instructions, his awareness of the defensive side of the game, as well as his ability to last a full 90 minutes, but he remains Sunderland’s best player.
Johnson has shown glimpses of the player he threatened to be at Middlesbrough. Some of the goals he has scored have been crucial, none more so than two in successive away games against bitter rivals Newcastle United, and he is possibly the only player in Sam Allardyce’s squad who can change a game on his own.
On his day, there are still few better wide players in the Premier League and he is the Black Cats joker in the pack. If anyone is going to win a game with a moment of individual brilliance, it is Johnson.
- Telegraph