Manchester City winger Adam Johnson admits this summer's World Cup may come too soon for him.

The former Middlesbrough man was named in national team boss Fabio Capello's provisional squad of 30 to face Egypt last week.

The squad was then reduced to 24 with Johnson missing out, but his fine club form has prompted suggestions he could move ahead of Aston Villa duo Ashley Young and Stewart Downing in Capello's plans.

Johnson was disappointed to have missed out on the 3-1 Wembley win, but the 22-year-old winger feels honoured to have been in with a shout in the first place.

"I know I didn't make the cut for Egypt, but just to see my name in the senior call-up was brilliant," he told the club's official website. "The next step is to play.

"I'm closer to that now I'm at City. The World Cup squad would be difficult, but there's a lot of football to be played and there could be injuries along the way.

"It was a bit disappointing not to be involved at Wembley but I've still come a long way in a short space of time. But this World Cup has probably come a bit too soon for me."

Versatile Johnson only made the move from the Riverside to Eastlands in January but has lived up to his reported £7million price tag with a string of exciting displays.

The youngster is comfortable on either flank which would offer Capello useful cover should he include him in the final 23-man cut, a luxury Johnson knows the Italian could do with in South Africa this summer.

"I like playing out there on the right, and if you look at the top wingers in the world, I think they can all play on opposite sides," added the predominantly left-sided player.

"Obviously the manager (Capello) has worked with a lot of top-class players and he's seen what effect it can have."