Arsenal Youngster Benik Afobe Joins Sheffield Wednesday on Loan

Arsenal have dropped a strong hint the club could make a January deadline day signing after allowing young striker Benik Afobe to leave for Sheffield Wednesday on loan until the end of the season.

The 20 year old has enjoyed spells at Huddersfield Town, Reading, Bolton Wanderers and Millwall and will continue his development in the Championship for the remainder of the campaign.

Afobe failed to score in five appearances at The Den, following a run of just two goals in 20 appearances while at Bolton.

Though Afobe has never made a professional appearance for Arsenal, his move away points towards the club making a renewed effort to sign a forward on the final day of the January transfer window.

Despite reports continually linking the Gunners with a move for Schalke's Julian Draxler, a temporary move for Juventus forward Mirco Vucinic or Fulham's Dimitar Berbatov appears more likely.

Manager Arsene Wenger has suffered a barrage of injuries of late, with Aaron Ramsey having suffered a set-back in his return while Theo Walcott has been ruled out until the end of the season.

Mathieu Flamini's sending off against Southampton leaves Arsenal without the Frenchman for the next four games, which includes games against Liverpool and Manchester United, and Wenger has conceded the need for new players has heightened.

"I have nothing to tell you tonight, maybe I hope we have something to tell you because we lost a few players now," Wenger said after the 2-2 draw with Southampton.

"We have lost Flamini for three games and Ramsey, but overall I think Jack Wilshere will be back soon, so I think we'll be OK."

After dropping points at St Mary's, Arsenal watched Manchester City leapfrog them into top spot in the Premier League as Manuel Pellegrini's side plundered five goals past Tottenham Hotspur, firepower which Wenger will be hoping to replicate with any business conducted on deadline day.