Jordi Osei-Tutu has returned to Arsenal after suffering a fresh injury on loan at Cardiff City.
After a promising loan spell at German second-tier side VfL Bochum last season, the right-back moved to Cardiff last summer hoping to enjoy a breakthrough campaign in the Championship.
Things started brightly for the 22-year-old, who joined the Gunners' youth set-up from Reading in 2015 but is yet to make a senior appearance for the club, as he enjoyed a run of seven starts from the Bluebirds' opening eight games of the season.
Yet a hamstring injury turned the campaign into a season of woe and frustration for the defender, who suffered a further setback in January that meant he missed six months of the season.
Osei-Tutu managed to return from his long lay-off to feature twice as a substitute in April, playing against Brentford and Wycombe, but he now faces another spell in rehab due to an injury.
With Cardiff set to finish their campaign this weekend, the latest setback has seen Osei-Tutu return to the Gunners.
Osei-Tutu's two substitute appearances last month were Mick McCarthy's only chances to see the right-back in action after he replaced Neil Harris as Bluebirds boss mid-season.
Yet, speaking to Wales Online, McCarthy revealed he thought highly of the youngster and could only have sympathy for his injury record.
"It's awful for him, it's really demoralising," he said.
"And you almost get embarrassed if you keep getting injured, limping off training, it's soul-destroying for players, especially young players.
"I do feel for him because he is a terrific talent, he really is.
"The bits I've seen of him, I loved him."
Osei-Tutu's contract is set to expire at the Gunners this summer and it remains to be seen whether he will be offered a new deal.
