Arsene Wenger says that he’ll consider letting Ryo Miyaichi go out on loan during the January transfer window.

The Japanese winger is out with a hamstring problem at the moment, but the boss says that he needs to get playing time under his belt and that if the right club comes along it could be the best option.

“He needs to play in the second half of the season,” said Wenger. “If I find a good opportunity for him, I will consider it.”

Ryo has made just five appearances this season, the last of which was in October in the Capital One Cup defeat to Chelsea.

And if we’re being realistic, he still looks a good way off the level required to compete for a place in this Arsenal side right now. Last season a loan move to Wigan saw him make just 6 appearances for the Latics before his season was cut short by injury.

At this point a loan move is probably make or break for him in terms of his Arsenal future, because with Walcott, Cazorla, Gnabry, Podolski and a soon to be fit Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain ahead of him in the pecking order for a wide position, he’ll have to make a real impact somewhere to convince the boss he’s got what it takes.