Ravel Morrison has been challenged to work his way back into the West Ham United first-team by boss Sam Allardyce.
The England Under-21s schemer has been suffering from a niggling groin injury since the turn of the year, which has seen him slip out of the Hammers team.
And with rumoured interest from Championship trio QPR, Leicester City and Derby County in a loan deal for him, Allardyce wants Morrison to rise to the challenge of reclaiming his place in the team and finding the form he showed in the first half of the season.
Morrison shows his ability in England training last November
"He certainly needs to get back and train with the squad," said Allardyce, in the build-up to Tuesday's Premier League game with Norwich City.
"He has to realise that now everybody is fit, there is severe competition here, especially with the new players as well.
"That severe competition brings pressure on the players that are playing in the first team, knowing that if they perform poorly they could lose their place, which is certainly the case at the moment with the size of the squad - which is good and healthy."
The 21-year-old hasn’t started a game for West Ham since their match with his former club Manchester United last December, but he has been involved in The FA Cup and League Cup.
And Allardyce revealed that a troublesome injury has been holding him back in recent weeks, whilst the Hammers’ league form has picked up and new players arrived at the Boleyn in the transfer window.
Morrison in action against Finland in November
"At the moment, Rav is still complaining about the problem that he had before Christmas to say he has got these rumbling groin problems," added the former Bolton Wanderers and Blackpool boss.
"At the end of the day he is going to have to decide if he goes for the hernia operation or not and the answer keeps being no - he doesn't need it.
"What we have got to do is get him back training and back in the squad - I haven't heard any rumours any other way in terms of what is happening with Rav."
Morrison could be in contention for England Under-21s’ next Euro qualifier in March, when Wales are the visitors to Derby County’s iPro Stadium. Tickets for the game are priced just £10 for adults and £5 for U18s. These can be purchased in person from the Digonex Ticket Office, by calling 0871 472 1884 (option 1) or by visiting WeAreDerby.com.
