Manchester United, Liverpool & Real Madrid Chase Middlesbrough Starlet

Manchester United, Liverpool and Real Madrid are set to lock horns over the signature of Middlesbrough winger Adam Johnson, who is rumoured to be valued at £12 million.

Which seems to be rather expensive as he is unable to get into the Middlesbrough first team because of the presence of a certain Stewart Downing. Downing's future at the club is hardly set in concrete as he himself had a recent transfer request turned down by the Boro management team.

Johnson has played for the England U21 side and was spotted by the big guns of Manchester United, Liverpool and Real Madrid while on a loan spell with Watford. So right now Middlesbrough are in the situation of deciding whether or not to sell Johnson for about £10 million or hold out for their valuation of the guy, thought to be around £12 million.

The other option is to part with Stewart Downing, probably to Spurs, and let Johnson take his chance in the first team.

Johnson has already been taking some jibes from his team mates, he said: "It was the usual banter from them. I was getting all of it, calling me a Galactico and getting shouts of Raul. I don't know if there was anything in it—the manager never said anything to me. Who knows?"

I'm at a loss as to why Manchester United need to buy a player such as Johnson anyway.  They have an abundance of talent in midfield and if this guy can't make it into the Middlesbrough first team how on earth will he get into the first team at Old Trafford?

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