BURNLEY'S Greek under-21 striker Dimitri Papadopoulos could be about to return home on a six month loan deal to top division side Aris Salonika.

The 20-year-old, bought for £500,000 from Akratitos in the summer, came close to scoring his first senior goal for the Clarets in the FA Cup clash with Canvey Island at the weekend but could continue his football education in Greece.

Aris's French coach Richard Tardi watched Papadopoulos in the recent European Championship Under-21 play-off against Turkey and was impressed enough to want to add him to the squad that is currently in the top half of the table.

Reports from Greece suggest a move is likely to go ahead in the next couple of days although it is being stressed that it is only a loan deal.

Andy Payton returned to Turf Moor last week after a loan spell at Blackpool but Papadopoulos's departure may be delayed if Gareth Taylor's injury, suffered in the first half on Saturday, turns out to be serious.

Papadopoulos has been impressing in the reserves in recent weeks, scoring five goals in his last two games, but the form of Gareth Taylor and Ian Moore in attack has restricted his first team opportunities.

Saturday was his fifth appearance as a substitute and his only start came in the Worthington Cup defeat by Rushden and Diamonds.

Clarets boss Stan Ternent has always insisted that Papadopoulos was bought with the future in mind and he never expected him to be a fixture in the first team so early in his Burnley career.

He has settled well at Burnley and is a popular member of the squad but the hope is that when he returns he will be ready to fight for a first team place.

"Dimitri came on on Saturday and I would like to have seen him get a goal," said Ternent, the Greek striker having watsed one chance and then been denied by a great late save.