This was always going to be a big season for two of Manchester City's brightest young players.
For Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Tommy Doyle, they are arguably victims of their own success. They have proven themselves to be far too good for under-23 football, and were starting to knock on the door of Pep Guardiola's first team.
However, for centre-back Harwood-Bellis, he knows that he would be at least fifth choice in the pecking order, and limited to occasional substitute appearances and sporadic cup games against lower league opposition. Likewise, Doyle would be at least sixth in the midfield ranks, yet he had outgrown the EDS team he captained to the title last season.
Loan moves this season were the best for all parties, and a chance for these two local lads to show City they have a future at the club.
Except the first four months of the season for both players didn't exactly go to plan.
Harwood-Bellis started the campaign as first choice under Vincent Kompany at Anderlecht, following his impressive stint at Blackburn last season. It was a new country and a new league, but with a familiar mentor in Kompany, and Harwood-Bellis looked to be making the most of it.
But a delayed plane back from international duty saw him lose his place in November and he couldn't get back in Kompany's starting XI after that. He asked Anderlecht and City to leave and arrange a new loan, and is now at Stoke City for the rest of the season.
Doyle didn't even break into the team at Hamburg, limited to just seven appearances totalling 150 minutes. Four of those came in the last five minutes of games, and he was only given one start and that came in the cup. It was an impressive accomplishment for Doyle to score given his lack of chances, finishing a late winner against Paderborn in October after coming on in the 89th minute.
Doyle's request to return to City was justified, as he referenced his need to be playing regularly as his justification. Just like City did with Harwood-Bellis, they found him a loan closer to home in the Championship with Cardiff City.
Now, the duo have a chance to kick-start their seasons. On one hand, they have a point to prove, to show City that they were right to request new loans. Both should be right at home in the second tier, with Stoke a solid club for Harwood-Bellis to hone his defending, alongside former Premier League and England veteran Phil Jagielka, while Doyle will be hoping for a regular run of games at senior level for the first time.
If they both get that playing time and show the potential they have done at City, their new loans could be a masterstroke. They will be aiming to give City and transfer maestro Txiki Begiristain a difficult decision to make in the summer as well.
If the second half of the season goes well, City might have to decide whether it's worth promoting Doyle and Harwood-Bellis to their first-team squad permanently, and with that, offering them more than occasional appearances. Alternatively, they could use their experiences to earn better loans, possibly in the Premier League or another top tier in Europe.
Few players have successfully come back into the City first team after leaving the loan conveyor belt, but if anyone can it's these two talented homegrown Blues fans. They have put their necks on the line to swap clubs this month, and City have backed them with new clubs that should suit them down to the ground.
Now it's up to them to show City they were right, and they will hope to ensure they are in a position to move up the pecking order at City when they eventually return. City have had a quiet January, but these two mid-season gambles could shape how the first team squad looks next season or the year after.
Over to you, lads.
