Manuel Pellegrini appears to have mad it crystal clear again that Reece Oxford is bang at the bottom of the Irons pile.
Despite some notably dodgy displays from Angelo Ogbonna and with Fabian Balbuena and Winston Reid injured, there remains no way back for the young central defender.
Many questions continue to be asked about his fall from grace and highly unlikely pieces of speculation are published suggesting where he may be off to next with the latest being Nottingham Forest.
But according to the manager he has to go somewhere and when asked at a presser of his future the manager answered in almost exasperated manner making it clear he’s not impressed with the player.
It may well be that giving a teenager a £20k contract has – to put it politely – taken the edge off his game. Whatever the reason his days in a claret and blue shirt look behind him.
In a short and sharp response when asked of his future the manager said: “I answered that question about three months ago.
“He is a player that has already played in the Bundesliga and he has an option to continue improving, going on loan or sell, I think he must do it because he needs experience.”