In 2011 he'd played at every level of international football other than the senior side, with 30 U21 caps to his name. He had two years of Premier League experience under his belt too. 

He seemed likely to break into both the Chelsea and the England side almost as soon as he flourished into the world-class defender he threatened to be.

Seven years later, Michael Mancienne isn't even mentioned on Nottingham Forest's website as a first-team player, despite still being at the club. He's been cast aside by the summer of spending at the City Ground, left out of the summer tour like an unwanted pet.

However, despite his current predicament, he could be credited as blazing a trail that many other English talents have since chosen to follow.

In 2011, after a loan spell in the Championship with QPR he joined Wolves and over three seasons made 46 Premier League appearances. His time looked set to come, but instead of breaking through at Stamford Bridge, Mancienne chose to bring his Chelsea career to an abrupt halt. He chose to move not into the English Championship, not to a Premier League struggler for first team football, but to SV Hamburg in Germany's Bundesliga.

At the time the move stood out like a sore thumb, here was one of the brightest young talents in the English game swapping our shores for Germany. few youngsters had done so before, but he set a precedent that is still being followed today.

Mancienne played 55 times in the Bundesliga before coming back with Forest, but his move empowered the likes of Jayden Sancho, Reece Oxford and Ademola Lookman to seek their fortunes away from the claustrophobic atmosphere of a Premier League academy.

Sadly, the story does not appear to end well for Mancienne. He was a constant during the often the bewildering five-year regime of Fawaz Al Hasawi, but his star has since fallen dramatically. Despite playing 33 games in all competitions last season, he looks set to sit on the side lines, either forgotten or complete disposed of if a buyer can be found.

He owes Forest little, the £1m they paid for his services has been repaid 134 outings over his four-year stay. Now, as the Aitor Karanka revolution takes hold, it seems he is set to fade away after showing such promise and potential as a youngster. He's definitely not part of Karanka's plans, but he's also turned down a summer move to Turkey as he seeks to remain in the English game.

Mancienne can play in the middle of the back four, on the right hand side or in a defensive midfield role and his extensive experience in both Germany and England should make him an attractive prospect for teams looking to shore up at the back. Whilst team mate Jack Hobbs found himself a Championship employer, Mancienne looks set to watch from the stands for the first time in his career.

It's a sad situation for a player who took such a brave step as a young player and ultimately opened the door for a host of today's prodigal talents.