Mikel Arteta has confirmed that Arsenal will look to find a new club to send Eddie Nketiah out on loan to join for the remainder of the season.
The striker is back at London Colney after his spell with Leeds United was cut short.
Marcelo Bielsa had preferred to use the youngster as an impact player, with Patrick Bamford his number one choice to start games and lead the line.
Due to the limitations on his role for the club it was decided that he would return to Arsenal in January, with the added intrigue of an FA Cup clash between the two sides in the third round of the competition.
As reported by football.london last month, Bristol City are seen as the front-runners to sign Nketiah with Gabriel Martinelli having nailed down his place as Arsenal's third choice striker behind Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette.
In his pre-match press conference ahead of facing Leeds on January 6, Arteta was clear that there had been no change in the plans for Nketiah in the second half of the season.
"We have to sit down with the loan department and we'll do that this afternoon, to discuss the best possible way for him to keep developing," said the Spaniard.
"I think the environment that he's been living in has improved him as a player, 100%. He played some minutes, not as much as we wanted, but he's a kid with incredible potential and we have to make a decision for the club, not for the next four months but for his career.
"What's the best thing to do? We have to sit down with him, hear from him - that's very important because we need to know what he needs as well - and make the right decision for the next five months.
"I think the first idea was that he was going to be on loan for the rest of the season."
The next club for Nketiah remains uncertain, however.
"We have to assess the situation again now," added Arteta. "At the moment [I don't know] but I will have some answers very soon."
Bielsa also spoke about Nketiah's loan coming to an end in his press conference after a 1-1 draw between Leeds and West Bromwich Albion on January 1.
"Yes we know that he is not allowed to continue with us," said the Argentinian. "It's a shame. It's a pity for us.
"Of course Arsenal and him didn't expect what we offered him."
Arteta will be looking to build on his first victory in charge of Arsenal by securing passage to the next round of the FA Cup against Leeds.
The Gunners had too much for Manchester United to cope with on New Year's Day as Nicolas Pepe and Sokratis Papastathopoulos put the hosts 2-0 ahead in an impressive first half performance.
Both Aubameyang and Lacazette were key to the win, even though neither player scored.
The Frenchman pressed goalkeeper David De Gea from the front while his Gabonese strike partner played off to the left, free to come inside thanks to the over-lapping runs of Sead Kolasinac.
Nketiah is not the only young Arsenal forward hoping to break through into the senior set up in the coming months.
Folarin Balogun and Tyreece John-Jules will be eager to prove themselves as worthy additions to the first team as they continue to impress for the Under-23s.
