JONJO SHELVEY is guaranteed a warm reception when he returns to Anfield with Swansea City this season.

Before the ink was even dry on his four-year contract at the Liberty Stadium this week he was tweeting a message to Kopites.

“Just wanna say thank you to every one of the Liverpool fans for their support,” he said.

“They were first class and will be truly missed.. Will miss the city very much and the club. Owe a lot to everyone there!”

It was a nice touch from a young midfielder whose absence will be felt at Melwood. Playing for Liverpool meant everything to Shelvey.

During last season, when he played in his favoured central midfield role, out wide, as a second striker and even led the line, I asked him if he minded being shifted around.

“This is Liverpool Football Club,” he replied. “I’d play left-back here if it meant getting a game.”

Yet three years after he arrived from Charlton Athletic, the Anfield dream is now over for Shelvey.

The writing was on the wall for him when Brendan Rodgers informed him of his place in the Reds’ pecking order ahead of the 2013/14 campaign.

Shelvey realised he needed to move in order to advance his career and opted for Swansea ahead of a return to London with Crystal Palace.

Some Liverpool fans have bemoaned the club’s decision to off-load Shelvey for an initial fee of £5million – potentially rising to £6million with add-ons – in the belief that he’s been cast aside too soon.

There is a school of thought that he deserved another year to attempt to fulfil his obvious potential. That at 21 time was still on his side.

But the reality is that it was a smart piece of business. Liverpool have made a tidy profit on a player who had failed to convince Rodgers he could help take the club to the next level.

Looking at the personnel currently at Rodgers’ disposal, where would Shelvey have fitted in?

In terms of a front six (whether Liverpool play 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3), he would have found himself behind Steven Gerrard, Joe Allen, Lucas Leiva, Jordan Henderson, Philippe Coutinho, Raheem Sterling, Jordon Ibe, Stewart Downing, Fabio Borini, Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge.

Summer signings Iago Aspas and Luis Alberto have increased competition for those advanced roles still further.

Shelvey promised so much in the first half of last season with his match-winning double against Young Boys away in the Europa League a particular highlight, but a reminder of his rough edges was never far away.

Just three days later his lunge on Jonny Evans earned him a costly red card against Manchester United. His combative approach showed how much he cared but his lack of control meant he picked up far too many needless cards.

From the heights of a full England debut last October, Shelvey’s campaign nose-dived. Rodgers’ frustration on the touchline as he seemingly failed to take on board orders was clear.

Shelvey was erratic, too often taking the wrong option, and unable to deliver the consistency his manager wanted.

After a wretched Boxing Day night at Stoke City, he made just two further league starts. The January arrivals of Sturridge and Coutinho left him watching events unfold from the bench.

He could have been the hero when he was presented with a glorious late chance against Zenit St Petersburg in a thrilling Europa League clash at Anfield in February but scuffed wastefully into the side-netting. It summed up his Liverpool career. Close but no cigar.

Michael Laudrup clearly sees something in him and Shelvey will be determined to prove Liverpool made a big mistake in letting him go. In years to come that £5million could look like a bargain – but I doubt it