Henry Onyekuru has fuelled speculation about his future by admitting that a permanent January transfer to Everton is on the cards.
The 20-year-old forward was shipped off to the Belgian giants in the summer after the Merseyside giants paid £7million to bring him to Goodison Park from KAS Eupen.
Everton have struggled for goals in the Premier League this season after failing to replace Romelu Lukaku, who was sold to Manchester United for £75m.
In nine top-flight matches, the Merseyside club have netted just seven times, with Wayne Rooney netting on four occasions, and Oumar Niasse finding the back of the net three times.
They could recall the Nigeria international Onyekuru in the winter transfer window, after he scored seven goals in 16 matches while on loan at Anderlecht.
Speaking to Belgian news outlet Het Nieuwsblad, the forward confirmed the possibility of a new year switch to Everton.
He said: “I follow the path that is being drawn up for me. Wherever I go after New Year, I do not know either.
“Whether Everton has a contractual option to get me in the winter? Everything is possible. I’m their property, they decide.
“I have never said that I’m sure I’ll leave Anderlecht. The most important thing is here and now. I’m happy and everything is going well. What’s happening in winter, we’ll see.”
Onyekuru signed for Everton from Belgian side KAS Eupen in the summer was immediately loaned out to Anderlecht after failing to secure a work permit.
The wide attacker has shone while on loan at Anderlecht after netting 24 times in 41 appearances at Eupen last season.
OPINION
Everton need a goalscorer in January and Onyekuru represents a possible solution should they be able to navigate red tape and secure a work permit for him. The Nigerian has made a huge impact in Belgium, which has provided a conveyor belt of exceptional Premier League players, but he is not the centre-forward that the Goodison faithful crave. The youngster is a wide forward who has made his name cutting in from the flank and ripping full-backs to shreds. He is not the next Romelu Lukaku, who will lead the line and work the centre-backs. Nevertheless, he would represent a pacy and exciting option for a team that has scored just four goals in seven league games in a wretched start to the season.