AC Milan is weighing whether to cut short Andrej Kostic's loan at Sparta Rotterdam when the January window opens.
The Montenegrin striker has logged just 56 Eredivisie minutes across four appearances, without a goal or an assist.
Reports from Goal. com and Vijesti indicate Milan wants the 2007-born forward placed somewhere he can play regularly.
No completed move has been announced.
Zonneveld Blocks the Path at Sparta
Kostic's limited role stems largely from competition at center-forward.
Sparta's Milan Zonneveld, born in 2003, has five goals in eight matches and is the preferred option in the team's 4-2-3-1 setup.
Sparta's difficult start has compounded the situation. Goal.
com reported six points from eight matches, while Vijesti noted the side had won only one of those games.
According to Vijesti, Milan is dissatisfied with Kostic's lack of opportunities and is seriously considering a recall in January.
The club would then look for another loan for the second half of the season.
Kostic arrived at Sparta on a temporary deal confirmed on August 19, per Goal. com.
The arrangement carried no transfer fee or purchase option, and Sparta agreed to cover his full salary.
Milan had first planned to develop him with Milan Futuro, its reserve side.
His scoring record in Serbian football and his displays for Montenegro's under-21 team raised doubts that Serie D would be challenging enough.
The first team was also deemed unsuitable for the inexperienced forward.
After internal discussions between coaching staffs, Milan chose the Netherlands, viewing the Eredivisie as a fitting level for young attackers.
The move followed Milan's agreement with Partizan Belgrade, where Kostic had played. Goal.
com reported an initial fee of 3 million plus bonuses and a resale percentage payable to the Serbian club, with his medical completed in Milan on March 30.
Several Italian and German clubs had sought loan deals with Milan before Sparta secured him. Goal.
com said the deal was completed in three days, without a purchase option.
Vijesti reported that Kostic made 42 appearances for Partizan across all competitions last season, scoring 12 goals and providing one assist.
Milan signed the striker while assessing options for its attack, but ultimately pursued Goncalo Ramos, while former Juventus player Dusan Vlahovic joined Besiktas, according to Goal.
com.
Kostic remains at Sparta for now, with his limited minutes putting his development away from Milan under scrutiny.
A January exit stays possible if his role does not improve before the winter window.
