Manchester City’s hopes of signing Middlesbrough winger Adam Johnson have been boosted after he reportedly requested the chance to hold talks with the Blues. The £5m-rated former England Under-21 international is out of contract at the Riverside in the summer and Boro boss Gordon Strachan has claimed that he expects the 22-year-old to see the season out on Teesside. But if the latest reports are correct, boss Roberto Mancini will get the chance to sell City to Johnson before the transfer window closes on Monday afternoon. Johnson is arguably promotion-chasing Boro’s best player and their chances of an instant return to the Premier League would be hit if they end up losing him. But a compromise deal could see City sign him and then immediately loan Johnson back to Boro until the end of the season.