Both City and England fans hope his all action midfielder fulfils his potential and lives up to the hype
Yet more fruit from the club’s flowering academy system - in fact, the 20th graduate to take a first-team bow, back in 2006 - local lad Johnson skippered the FA Youth Cup runners-up in 2006 and was one of City’s real success stories in 2007/08.
Given a first-team chance, he took it gleefully, scoring twice in his first six outings and keeping his spot despite exotic arrivals from overseas.
Full of attacking instincts, he loves to run with the ball at his feet. Manager Mark Hughes will undoubtedly warm to his new protégé who, like his boss, is a player not given to shying away from a crunching tackle.