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"Ryan Ledson will have a future in our first team."

So said former Everton manager Roberto Martinez in May 2015, when discussing the club's policy of sending its talented youngsters out on loan to gain experience with lower league teams.

Later that summer the Fazakerley teenager figured for the senior side in pre-season, even going on the high profile tour to Singapore.

By November he was at Cambridge United gaining said experience, but 10 months later he's signed for Oxford United.

Ledson, who joined the Blues’ Academy aged five, has signed a three-year deal with the League One outfit.

So why has he been allowed to leave?

The 19-year-old made his senior Toffees debut aged 17 in the Europa League group game against Krasnodar in December 2014, and was considered one of the England youth set-up's stand-out midfielders .

However the view at Finch Farm is that he failed to capitalise on his undoubted potential at a crucial period.

With the emergence of Tom Davies and Kieran Dowell last season, each following a successful time with David Unsworth's u-21s while Ledson was at Cambridge, the latter's status as one of 'the next big things' was over-taken.

Everton, already comfortably staffed with central midfielders at senior level, are equally well served in the second string now; with Davies joined by the athletic Joe Williams , highly-rated Liam Walsh and raw potential of Beni Baningime - a player with some similarities to Ledson.

Having returned from his spell at Cambridge Ledson failed to prove he was a cut above those players, and Ronald Koeman showed no interest in using him.

Instead, Ledson joins another former academy product touted as the future of the Blues midfield, John Lundstram , who was named Oxford’s captain ahead of the 2016/17 season.

A likeable lad, he goes with the best wishes of everyone at Finch Farm, and far from being considered a failure is expected to flourish at his new club.

He may even prove the decision to let him leave wrong one day.

But for the time being he fell into the unfortunate position of being non-essential to either Unsworth or Koeman, and therefore, surplus to requirements in a hotly-contested position.