Arsenal summer signing Lucas Perez could leave the Emirates Stadium on loan in January, Italian sports website Calciomercato has claimed.
The Spaniard arrived in London in a £17.1m deal from La Liga side Deportivo La Coruna a day before transfer deadline back in August, but has failed to make a mark in the first team so far.
The striker is currently out injured, but is firmlybehind Alexis Sanchez and Olivier Giroud in the pecking order for a starting rolewhen fit.
Perez limped out of Arsenal's EFL Cup tie with Reading after 72 minutes last month and has not featured since.The striker waschallenged forcefullyby Danzell Gravenberch and questioned the player's motives after the game.
With Perez set to return before the start of the winter transfer window, Arsene Wenger maynow have a decision to make on the forward, who is woefully short of game time.
Lucas Perez took part in light training this morning as he nears his return to action. (@jeorgebird) pic.twitter.com/qmfK3BLTjr
It remains to be seen whether or not Wenger will loanout Perez. Hehas appeared in the league for only 88 minutes so far, largely due to the red-hot form shown bySanchez.
The switch in position for the Chilean to a central striker's rolehad resulted in Giroud becoming Wenger's go to impact sub, leaving the former Deportivo forward, who scored 17 goals in La Liga last season,somewhat in limbo.
It has meant thatthe only significant contribution from the player so far came in the EFL cup, where he scored two goals in his only full appearance against Nottingham Forest.
With the transfer window looming, it will be interesting to see what course of action Wenger takes.
Will he send the player back to Spain to rediscover the form that earned him his move?
Or, as with Jack Wilshere, will he try and ease Perez back from injury and into some form through the services ofanother Premier League club?