Convicted child sex offender, Adam Johnson, released from prison after three years

Former Premier League star, Adam Johnson, has been released from prison after serving three of his six years for child sex offences.

The former Manchester City and Sunderland winger was sentenced to six years in prison for talking to and engaging in sexual acts with a 15-year-old girl, back in 2016. This forced him to be released from his then current club, Sunderland, after he had been continuing to play for Sunderland during his bail.

He was released from HMP Moorland, near Doncaster, South Yorkshire, on Friday, as he was driven to his mansion in County Durham. Once he arrived, Johnson's father spoke to some reporters very briefly, saying that there will be a full statement later on.

A source said that “Johnson will be treated like any other convicted sex offender. He’s a free man, but it comes at a heavy price."

This means that Johnson will not be able to spend any time alone with his daughter Ayla, as a social worker will be monitoring his every move. Johnson will also have to have his bank details shared with the authorities, just as a measure to ensure that he does not pay for any paid-for pornography sites.

So what does this all mean for Adam Johnson as a footballer?

In a video that was shared back in 2016, Johnson had admitted that it would be tough to continue his playing career in England, as they do not tend to give you a "second chance". Several English Football League clubs have since stated that they "will not go near Adam Johnson".

However, his options are still open to a move abroad, where such controversial acts might go under the radar. Yet, the amount of countries that would be seeking his signature are extremely limited, with several associations demanding a clean criminal record, as China, America, Australia and some Middle Eastern countries all follow the procedure of checking criminal records thoroughly.

Adam Johnson is clearly a talented footballer, but unfortunately, such violations of the law will be tough for clubs to forgive him, especially with the possible backlash incurred in signing the winger.