Elias Sorensen's loan stint at Carlisle United will be reviewed in January with Newcastle United not fully satisfied with his time at Brunton Park so far.
The Magpies' Under-23 boss Neil Redfearn admits he is concerned at the Danish striker's bench warming role for the Cumbrians.
Sorensen has been an unused sub eight times this season in League Two and is yet to complete a game over 90 minutes.
After the 21-year-old sat out the games against Northampton and Leyton Orient - both matches Carlisle boss Stephen Pressley failed to win - Toon fans have been questioning what the point of Sorensen's loan is with the EFL club.
Redfearn told the Chronicle: "It's a difficult one.
"I know I have said on the record in the past that he needs to fight it out, but obviously the idea of him going out on loan is that he plays.
"So if he's on the bench and not coming on, it's not what we want, it's not what we need.
"The reports that we are getting back are that he's working really hard and desperately trying to do the right things to get in so we are getting that, but there is no getting away from the fact he needs to play."
Sorensen, who bagged 21 goals for Newcastle's reserves last season and notched at international level with Denmark U21s, was scheduled to spend the whole season on loan at Carlisle.
But Newcastle do have an option to take him back in early 2020.
Refearn said: "Yes he comes back in January and then it can be reviewed."
