Luis goodbye?

Luis Jiminez could be on his way back to Italy by the weekend, according to reports tonight.

The Chilean midfielder is set to join Serie A side Parma before the end of the January transfer window according to Italian daily la Repubblica, ending an unhappy spell in London with the Hammers.

Signed on a season-long loan with view to a permanent deal (thought to be set at around £7million) from Inter last summer Jimenez was touted as the player whom Gianfranco Zola would build his team around.

However that plan backfired spectacularly as the 25-year-old showed little of the form that had led him to arrive at one of Europe's biggest clubs.

Having failed to force his way into Gianfranco Zola's plans Jimenez - who has started just six league games this season - is though to have expressed a desire to seek an early end to his loan spell, something which the club were happy to agree to.