Sunderland have confirmed that shamed winger Adam Johnson will be free to continue playing for the club despite being charged with three counts of sexual activity with a 15-year-old girl on Thursday, the BBC reports.
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The 27-year-old has already featured three times for the club since his initial arrest on March 2, and the club have stated that they will continue to use him even though official charges have been brought forward.
“The club recognises that the formal legal process must take its course and whilst our position remains unchanged, we will keep the matter under review,” read a Sunderland statement.
“The club will not be making any further comment.”
Johnson was also charged with a further count of grooming and will be brought in front of Peterlee Magistrates Court later this month on 20 May.
He had originally been suspended by the club upon his arrest, but saw his ban on playing overturned just two weeks later on 18 March.
Clearly the club are hoping to have everything available to them to prevent a slide back down to the Championship, though the news will not likely sit will amongst right-minded fans both at the Stadium of Light and elsewhere.
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