Middlesbrough star told he is going nowhere

Adam Johnson will not be allowed to leave Middlesbrough in January.

Chairman Steve Gibson will stick to the hard-line policy that meant Stewart Downing had to wait until last summer to switch to Aston Villa.

Johnson has caught the eye of a host of clubs including Chelsea, Sunderland and Everton. The England Under-21 international would be available for a cut-price fee because his contract is up in June.

Gibson wants to give new boss Gordon Strachan the best chance of reviving his ailing team.

But Johnson is facing a spell on the sidelines anyway after pulling his hamstring in the 1-0 home defeat by Cardiff at the weekend.