Albion loanee Gnabry won't be recalled

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has confirmed that he will not be recalling West Brom loanee Serge Gnabry in January.

Instead of bringing him back to North London, Arsenal's manager wants the German winger to work hard and change the mind of Albion boss Tony Pulis.

Wenger lost both Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Theo Walcott during their midweek defeat to Sheffield Wednesday in the Capital One Cup.

But the Frenchman played down suggestions Gnabry could return to the Emirates in order to bolster the squad.

Wenger said: "He is on loan for a season and we can not get him back before the transfer period. Loans between Premier League clubs are for one season.

"I heard Tony Pulis is not happy with him, but he has to change that opinion."

Gnabry joined Albion on a season-long loan in the summer but the 20-year-old has only played 12 minutes of Premier League football this season.

He hasn't even been named in the match-day squad for the past three games, but Wenger wants his German speedster to fight for his place at the Hawthorns.

He said: "I think Serge Gnabry has the quality to play in the Premier League. It is good he faces this battle, as it will make him stronger.

"If he turns the opinion of Tony Pulis around, I hope he is facing the challenge and putting the effort in."

Gnabry burst onto the scene as an 18-year-old two years ago before a knee injury ruled him out of the majority of last season.

At the start of this season, Albion's fans were excited by his season-long loan, but Pulis has been unimpressed with the winger so far.

He said: "Serge has come here to play games but he just hasn't been for me, at the moment, at that level to play games."