For a player capable of sprinkling stardust, Joao Carvalho’s Nottingham Forest career could hardly be described as stellar.
Blessed with exquisite talent and natural ability, there’s never been any doubt about the midfielder’s class.
But the occasions on which he’s been able to show that on the pitch have been too few and far between.
When he arrived at the City Ground in the summer of 2018, for a club record £13million fee, the promising Portuguese seemed to have the world at his feet.
Billed as one of the brightest young stars in his homeland, he had already put in some encouraging performances for his country at Under-21 level and played in the Champions League for Benfica.
Premier League heavyweights Arsenal, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur had all been linked with a move 12 months prior to his arrival Trentside.
Big things were expected - and not just because of the big price tag.
There have been times when he has been unplayable.
Middlesbrough at home, in April 2019, for one. He was sensational that day. Boro couldn’t lay a glove on him. Indeed, Aden Flint was left on his backside when Carvalho breezed past him to tee up Joe Lolley for Forest’s final goal in a 3-0 win.
Bradford City, back in August, was another. Two goals, expertly taken, and another standout performance.
It’s the bits in between, though, where Carvalho has struggled. Inconsistency has been his downfall.
Always seen as a luxury player, he’s either someone to build a team around or someone who faces being on the sidelines. There’s no in between.
And that is perhaps why he divides opinion so much, among supporters and pundits alike.
There’s a player there. But are the games where he goes missing worth putting up with for the ones where he makes a defence-splitting pass?
That’s the judgement Forest have to make as the 24-year-old’s future is cast into doubt, with Olympiacos once again said to be circling.
As much as it will be a real shame if his spell with the Reds does come to an end, questions are bound to be asked about whether he has fulfilled his potential.
And with Steve Cooper targeting a promotion push between now and May, every member of the squad has to earn their place; they have to be able to pull their weight.
Carvalho has found himself well down the pecking order. With attacking players such as Jed Wallace and Josh Bowler being targeted, he could be pushed even further out of contention.
“My style doesn’t fit too much with the English,” the player himself admitted in April 2020, with a loan spell at Almeria following in the 2020/21 season.
His contract has 18 months to run. If he’s not going to have a part to play in the final run-in this term, it makes sense to move him on.
Have Forest seen the best of him?
The club record fee has seemed to weigh heavily on his shoulders - not that he had any say in the matter; it wasn’t down to Carvalho the Reds splashed so much cash on him. And it hasn't helped that sometimes he hasn't been able to enjoy a run of games.
On his day, he is mesmerising to watch. It’s just that those days haven’t come around often enough.
