• Premier League

Mancini prepared to sell Johnson

ESPN staff
August 19, 2012
Adam Johnson may need to leave Manchester City to secure regular first-team football © PA Photos
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Manchester City are prepared to allow Adam Johnson to leave in a bid for first-team football.

Liverpool, Everton and Sunderland are all interested in the England winger, who only started 10 Premier League games last season.

And while Roberto Mancini has told Johnson he will still have a part to play if he stays at City, the Italian has accepted it could be time for the 25-year-old to end his two-and-a-half year stay at the Etihad Stadium.

Sunderland are thought to be planning a permanent deal to take Johnson back to his native North East, while Liverpool would rather borrow him.

Mancini said: "He is a young guy, he is a good player and he wants to play. If we can find a good solution for him, maybe it is better. We had two or three situations and we are talking with him about this. He wants to play."

Johnson was not on the bench for City's 3-2 win over Southampton when Sergio Aguero was taken off with a suspected knee injury.

Mancini said it could force City into a rethink and sign a striker before the transfer window closes.

"If it is a serious injury, probably it will change our plans," he said. However, he ruled out recalling the out-of-favour Emmanuel Adebayor.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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