Chelsea propose loan plan to secure Adam Johnson from Middlesbrough

The Middlesbrough winger Adam Johnson is out of contract next summer and has refused to sign a new contract with the Championship highflyers.

With interest from Chelsea, Everton and Sunderland all keen to buy the talented youngster in January, Boro are torn between cashing in on the England U21 star, and losing him for the second half of the season, or allowing him to go for free next summer.

It seems that Chelsea have proposed a compromise in which they buy Johnson in January, but loan him back to Boro for the rest of the season, as reported in the Northern Echo this morning.

Not only will this help Boro in their promotion push, but it will also cover Chelsea in case the transfer ban is upheld on appeal, as they may not be able to wait until next summer before getting their man.

This seems the perfect solution for all concerned, and it is now down to Johnson himself to accept the deal, as he knows he won’t be guaranteed a starting place immediately at Chelsea, while Everton and Sunderland may wish to put him straight into their first team.