What's happened to Alfie Mawson, the ex-Swansea City star once linked with Liverpool, Arsenal and Spurs now left with a big point to prove

The defender left Swansea City for £20m last summer, but has struggled to live up to the promise shown at the Liberty Stadium

"A lot of people are probably thinking how on earth has he got this call up?

"It was more of a shock to me than most. When you look at some of the players that missed out, it's crazy."

Alfie Mawson himself may well have been a little surprised to receive a call-up to Gareth Southgate's England squad back in 2018, but those familiar with his work in a Swansea City shirt will have surely felt it represented just reward for a string of sparkling performances.

The centre-back played a big part in Swansea’s brief and, ultimately unsuccessful, revival under Carlos Carvalhal, with pundits and fans seemingly queuing up to lavish praise on the centre-back, whose career seemed to be going only one way.

Arsenal, Liverpool, Everton, and Spurs were all linked with making a move , before big-spending Fulham took advantage of Swansea's relegation from the Premier League to beef up their own options ahead of their assault on the top flight.

It was a move that arguably softened the blow of his World Cup dream being ended by injury , but life in the English capital has been anything other straightforward.

Ahead of his potential return to the Liberty Stadium on Friday night, Mawson may now feel as though there's a point to prove, not just to his former employers but also to the critics now casting doubt on whether he will ever fulfill the potential shown during his spell with the Swans.

As Football London's Scott Trotter explains: "I think there was a decent amount of excitement at the signing but given the season both he and Fulham had it perhaps waned.

"From what I saw last season - particularly when he first started to feature he looked pretty sluggish as if he hadn't go to full speed after the operation he had that summer.

"He was authoritative and commanding but not necessarily the agility to back it up - though it was difficult to tell because Fulham weren't exactly known for their ability in defence.

"That obviously improved over the Christmas period slightly under Ranieri but then he picked up another injury which pretty much kept him out of the rest of the season."

Injuries have certainly been a big part of his struggles to hit the heights at Craven Cottage, but after some shaky performances in the Premier League last season, there are definite signs that he's starting to win the fans over.

"If you were to rate his time so far out of 10, it would be a 6," says Cam Ramsey of the Fulhamish Podcast.

"Injury blighted the start of his career in SW6 last term and it took a little while for him to get up to speed. There’s certainly more to come from him and, this season especially, he’s been a trusted mainstay."

Being a mainstay in the Championship is one thing, but it arguably doesn't back up the fanfare made earlier in his career - a reputation that convinced Fulham to splash out some £20 million on him last summer.

"At the back end of the 2017-18 campaign for the Swans, Mawson was a phenomenal presence and was held in high regard," he continues.

"Last season in the top-flight for the Whites, though, his vulnerabilities were exposed and at times he appeared out of his depth. In the Championship, he’s definitely in his element but as he’s also relatively young for a centre-half, the 25-year-old could still make the grade in the Premier League.

"He’s gradually returning to his best and I think that has a lot to do with Tim Ream. The American veteran keeps Mawson in check and has definitely elevated his game."

It remains to be seen what sort of reception Mawson would receive should he get a run out in SA1. Few can really blame him for moving on from a club whose relegation from the Premier League was accompanied by a financial mess behind the scenes.

Now, with the pair both vying for a place back at the top table of English football, and there's unlikely to be any room for sentimentality, although Ramsey admits there are still some concerns over the 25-year old.

"I expect him to relish the occasion and the chance to stifle a former employer," he adds. "He’ll definitely be hungry to register another solid performance within Fulham’s spine."

"He’s positionally sound, but his trampoline-like first touch often let’s him down. Sometimes he’s also culprit to wasting simple passes with wild swipes at the ball and if he’s pressed, he’s only a danger to himself with that in mind."

With that in mind, many will be hoping it's an unhappy return to SA1.