There is still a lot of debate and hesitancy among the top teams to loan players, especially strikers, but research shows there have been some successful cases over the last decade.
In research done by the CIES Football Observatory, temporary switches have worked out well for a number of big name forwards.
Serbian Luka Jovic had such an impressive campaign while on loan at Eintracht Frankfurt last term, scoring 27 goals in 48 appearances in all competitions, that the German club triggered his £6.2m transfer fee during the two-year loan before selling him to Real Madrid for a reported £53.2m.
Duvan Zapata tops the list after firing Atalanta into Champions League football, while Paco Alcacer and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang are also significant names to feature prominently.
Another big name who features twice is Romelu Lukaku, who endured a few loan moves in his early years in England on the books of Chelsea. First at West Brom, before firing them in at Goodison Park and eventually sealing a permanent switch.
Check out the results of the research, conducted across Europe's big five leagues in the last decade, below...
Highest number of goals scored for players on loan (from 09/10-18/19)
*League goals only
Duvan Zapata: (Atalanta from Sampdoria, 2018/19) – 23 goals
Bafetimbi Gomis: (Marseille from Swansea, 2016/17) – 20 goals
Paco Alcacer: (Borussia Dortmund from Barcelona, 2018/19) – 18 goals
Borja Baston: (Eibar from Atletico Madrid, 2015/16) – 18 goals
Luka Jovic: (Eintracht Frankfurt from Benfica, 2018/19) – 17 goals
Emmanuel Adebayor: (Tottenham from Man City, 2011/12) – 17 goals
Romelu Lukaku: (West Brom from Chelsea, 2012/13) – 17 goals
Andrea Petagna: (SPAL from Atalanta, 2018/19) – 16 goals
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang: (St Etienne from AC Milan, 2011/12) – 16 goals
German Denis: (Atalanta from Udinese, 2011/12) – 16 goals
Carlos Bacca: (Villarreal from AC Milan, 2017/18) – 15 goals
Arouna Kone: (Levante from Sevilla, 2011/12) – 15 goals
Ikechuwku Uche: (Granada from Villarreal, 2011/12) – 15 goals
Romelu Lukaku: (Everton from Chelsea, 2013/14) – 15 goals
See the full list and research into success of loan moves here
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