Manchester United are pleased with the role Nottingham Forest have played in James Garner’s development.
And the belief is he can eventually go on to play “at a high level for a duration of time”, according to the club’s head of academy, Nick Cox.
What that means for next season and the Reds’ chances of getting the midfielder back on loan, however, still remains to be seen.
Garner made a big impact in the second half of the season at the City Ground, playing a key role in helping to steer Chris Hughton’s side to Championship safety.
Forest are keen to re-sign him for next term, but are not the only ones interested, with Brighton & Hove Albion, Norwich City and Rangers all linked, as well as suggestions of a move abroad.
Pushing for a place at Old Trafford also hasn’t been ruled out, and boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will assess him in pre-season before a decision is made.
His spell on the banks of the Trent, though, has put him firmly in the spotlight.
"I think this year, with the second loan spell at Forest, he's showing people that he's maturing into an accomplished player who at this stage, you don't want to go overboard, but you could say he is crafting himself a career,” Cox told Sky Sports.
"He's showing that he's got the capabilities to play at a high level for a duration of time, without quite knowing where that ability will take him quite yet."
Garner was a regular starter for Hughton, with all but one of his 20 appearances in the Garibaldi coming in the first XI, while he also chipped in with four goals.
Linking up with the Reds came on the back of a stint at Championship rivals Watford in the first half of the campaign, where he was in and out of the team.
"The Watford experience wasn't a wasted experience or even a bad experience," Cox said.
"I think when you put boys out on loan you are trying to give them some stuff you've never seen before, so his experience through the academy up to that point was one of playing lots of football, winning lots of games and regularly being selected.
"The experience of having to go into a team where you're not the first choice, and you have to fight to get into the team, and stay in the team, was a really healthy one.
“He experienced a change of manager, he experienced what it was like to play near the top of the table, with a team that has now been promoted.
“Not getting in the team is a really valuable experience for a young player to have a taste of what real life is like."
Describing the move to Forest as a calculated risk, Cox added: "The secret when we are putting boys into loan clubs is to make sure that we don't repeat the experience too frequently.”
Garner is rated highly at United and has previously been tipped as the next Michael Carrick by Solskjaer.
Still only 20, however, Cox feels he still has some way to go yet.
"James is doing well, but he still has a long way to go to get himself out of the shadow of Michael Carrick," he said.
"As a young kid, he played a number of different positions, but I think he's a central midfielder, he's very good behind the play and supporting the play.
"He is very good in the build-up and as we've seen at Forest, he's contributed with a couple of goals from distance as well.
“What he likes to do is build the play, support from behind, make the team tick and if he can contribute in the final third as well, he will do."
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