This is the youngster who took the Premier League by storm a few years ago... but who is he and what is he doing now?

It's Manchester City's Michael Johnson. Remember him? The talented youngster who took the Premier League by storm.



The talented youngster Sven Goran Eriksson believed would be an England star.



But a series of injuries and, according to the stories which have emerged from the club over the past few years, an unprofessional attitude, meant he turned from the slim, blonde whizz kid below in to the unathletic looking figure on the left.



Now and then: The Michael Johnson picture which emerged yesterday (left) contrasts with his appearance in his early, promising days at Manchester City



This picture emerged on Twitter on Monday night, supposedly a recent image of the midfielder - who is still on City's books, having signed a five-year deal worth £25,000-a-week in 2009.

In the photograph judging by the background seems poignant considering part of his transformation from the 'next big thing' to simply 'big' was his own doing.



Johnson signed for City from Everton's youth team in 2004, taking just two years to make it in to the first XI.



He made his debut in the 2006-07 season and featured 10 times under Stuart Pearce.



It was the next season which he truly made his mark - Johnson scored two brilliant goals, against Derby and then Aston Villa.



All was good. He was appearing regularly and impressing. But he suffered an abdominal injury and also had to undergo a double-hernia operation, which kept him out between December and March.



The next season he began in Mark Hughes's first-team plans, signing a five-year deal.



His manager said: 'He understands where the club wants to go and I am sure that he wants to be part of it. We fully expect him to stay with City for years to come.

'He is an outstanding young player with a great talent and a great future ahead of him and we want that future to be at City, so we are working to that end. The guy has everything in front of him.'

Johnson was also expected to make it in to the England team sooner, rather than later.



Hughes continued: 'We have all been impressed with what he has shown so far, and I am sure he will be an England regular.



'Michael needs to keep working, but we can help him. We want him to be the best he can be because he has all the right qualities.'

Outcast: Johnson was released from his £25,000-a-week Manchester City contract Johnson's career statistics

Man City Games: 37 Goals: 2

Leicester City Games: 7 Goals: 0

It was not just Hughes who was enamoured with him - Johnson had been rumoured to be a £10million target for Liverpool.

Comparisons to Colin Bell, widely regarded as Manchester City's best ever player, had also cropped up.

But in late September he suffered a recurrence of the abdominal injury and it kept him sidelined for an entire year.

He appeared just twice in 2009-10 and not at all the following season.

Partly this was because of injury, but he had lost his shape and physique during this time and people often saw him enjoying nights out.

Change: Injuries and off-the-field problems took their toll on Johnson

