While it is often difficult to predict which signings will and won't work out, recruiting an injury prone individual more often than not tends to end in disaster for the buying party.

That has seemingly proved the case for Nottingham Forest and defender Carl Jenkinson, with the former Arsenal man having endured a torrid time of it at the City Ground, prior to his loan move away from the club in January.

Signed for £2m from the Gunners in the summer of 2019, the Englishman has since made just 15 appearances in all competitions, with both loss of form and fitness issues having perhaps predictably plagued his time at the club.

During his time at the Emirates, the Harlow-born full-back had failed to ever really nail down a regular starting berth, spending much of his eight-year stint out on loan at the likes of West Ham United and Birmingham City, as well as on the treatment table.

After making just 41 Premier League appearances for the north Londoners, he was eventually snapped up by Forest just under three years ago, albeit while never looking like a convincing option as he made just eight league appearances in his debut season.

The form of current Aston Villa and Poland star Matty Cash - as well as an ankle issue sustained just a month into his Forest career - ensured a tricky start to life in Nottingham, with the 6 foot 1 full-back having never recovered from that early setback.

He made just three more league outings the following campaign, with the arrival of Chris Hughton in the dugout bringing a halt to his already sporadic role, with the former Brighton man informing the defender that he could move on at the end of 2020/21 season.

Despite sticking it out with the second-tier side, the appointment of Steve Cooper was the final nail in the coffin, with the 30-year-old having not featured for the club since an FA Cup fourth-round tie against Swansea City in January 2021.

After a year out in the footballing wilderness, the £450k-rated man secured a surprise temporary move to Australian outfit Melbourne City over the winter, where he has since netted twice in 17 league outings.

In truth, Cooper and co will have been happy to offload some of the player's hefty £27k-per-week wages, with Jenkinson having cost the club a whopping £5m - including his initial transfer fee - since his move from Arsenal, rinsing the club for a total of 128 weeks.

Thankfully, with just a few months remaining on his existing deal, the one-time Charlton Athletic man will likely be moving on this summer, bringing an end to what's been a tumultuous and costly last few years for all concerned.

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