According to local press, Lucas Perez is considering a return to Deportivo la Coruña this summer, if Arsene Wenger remains in charge of Arsenal.
Although the Spaniard is happy in London, he has been low down on the manager’s list of forwards, playing very much a bit-part role this season.
Currently sidelined by injury he’s out of consideration again, but La Voz de Galicia says he has ambitions of being part of Spain’s squad for the 2018 World Cup and knows he has to be playing regularly in order to achieve that.
The La Liga outfit would be unable to purchase the player, but would seek to take him back on loan if Arsenal were willing to do that deal.
The 28 year old joined in August for £17m, and despite less playing time than he would have liked, has looked an effective performer.
He scored a Champions League hat-trick but has suffered a couple of injuries which haven’t helped either.
Speaking last month, he said he was settled in London where his father runs an octopus stall in Camden Market.
“Although I’m not a starter, I have a very good relationship with Wenger,” he told Radio Marca.
“A team like Arsenal has very good players, especially in attack. The coach can only choose 11 and the only thing I can do is make the most of the chances I’m given.
“Whenever I’ve played, I’ve done well and that gives me confidence. I have to be patient and continue to fight.”
He’s got a great attitude. I hope he stays.
I like Lucas but we should never have signed him if we were going to use him like we have done. I understand he wasn’t the manager’s first choice but it just seems like a complete waste of resources and time. Over the past decade Wenger has had to settle for his 2nd/3rd/4th choice targets due to financial constraints but we don’t need to do that anymore so this one has to go down as poor judgement because it’s quite clear Wenger just doesn’t fancy him. And just to clarify again before people jump on me, I rate Lucas from… Read more »
He should of played so much more then he has done. He’s scored 7 goals from 12 appearances (including subs) with 2 assists. Mental that Arsene hasn’t used him instead of Iwobi at times, who lets be honest, started really well but he’s been fairly poor since about October.
I think Perez would of offered us so much more, especially in the big games, and his stats back that theory up too. A massive oversight by Arsene for me. Personally I’d look to keep him and give him more game time, but I cant imagine he will stick around.
Yeah, he’s kinda like Podolski in the way he plays, except he works defensively too.
He has a fighter mentality and Im sure he would have scored some goals when we needed them this season.
Would’ve / would have. Why are so many writing would ‘of’ in here? C’mon you guys!?
So you are criticising Wenger for bringing in players that you rate highly?
You’ve missed the point. I’m criticising Wenger for bringing in a player which he doesn’t really trust. Arsenal have the networks and resources so that they can buy players that they’re sure of. Signing Lucas it seems like he thought “I’m out of options and he’ll do”, if that’s the case then he could at least of played him. He may as well have kept the £17m and put it towards a player he did actually have faith in this summer.
Before complaining, and moaning, and sticking the knife into wenger.
How about listening to what the player and manager themselves have said.
Wenger has said he is efficient and he likes his experience. Lucas has said he is happy to stay. Till something concrete from either of them comes out.
You cannot complain that Wenger controls everything then complain when he signs a player that people rate. He signed off on him, why wouldn’t he trust him? He has been on and off with injuries, maybe, possibly, it could be that instead?
Big teams must have big players on the bench. I am stating the principle not saying Lucas should be low in Wenger’s hierarchy. Henry spent time on the bench at Barcelona. Isco and Morata do not play all the time.
I think losing out to messi and eto’o in Henry’s case (when they won the treble I believe) and James Rodriguez, Ronaldo, benzema etc is slightly less of a kick in the teeth to an underperforming iwobi and a perennially disappointing theo Walcott.
Theo what a mug. Scoring 19 goals in an underperforming team. What a prick.
Lucas was bought to fill in for the injured Welbeck. But the fact that Sanchez did so well in that cf role, sort of changed Wenger’s plan for Lucas. His injuries have also been a factor.
Although I agree we could have used him more than we have. I wouldn’t sell him until we have a clarity about our squad for next season.
would love to see him stick around, particularly if a 3-4-3 type formation is going to be a more regular set up. A trio of Welbeck Sanchez and Perez across the top would be interesting to see.
I wonder given his natural fight if he could put in a decent shift in the wingback role too
The idea that Wenger did not have funds to buy first choice targets is not supported by any facts. First the player need to want to join Arsenal, second Wenger has self-imposed limits to what he will spend.
I was referring to the financial constraints that the stadium put on us for transfers. This has been stated by the manager and club a fair few times so I guess you can take that as fact. My point is that we don’t have those constraints anymore and it would appear that Lucas wasn’t our first choice striker target this summer. This is pretty common knowledge. We were in for Lacazette and recently it came out about Reus. Who knows how true the Reus one is but I’m pretty certain that we wanted Lacazette over Lucas.
I don’t really understand the logic either in signing Perez over Lacazette if Wenger isn’t really willing to trust Perez and pay him. It would be better to just pay the extra initially to get the player he wants and is willing to play. The other part of this is Wenger is unwilling to let some of these players like Campbell leave that he clearly doesn’t fancy. He could always move them on and use the fee and wages for the player he actually wants instead of just continually loaning them out. Realistically if you’re over 23 and you are… Read more »
Would you include goalkeepers in that statement? I would suggest that someone has improved by a significant amount at Roma for the last two years to merit a chance at the Arsenal again.
Goalkeepers have a different career timeline than outfield players. It seems as blogs mentioned every goalkeeper more or less has the same issues at Arsenal which should raise questions about our coaching. Czech really hasn’t been the major upgrade everyone expected although with the defense a shambles the past 6 plus years it’s probably difficult for any keeper
This is the problem we want. Depth is good and if the player is pushing to play that is even better, unlike other players we have had in the past who were happy to pick their wages. Player management is a part of the manager’s remit and I hope he convinces Lucas to stay and perform.
For a player to perform, surely he has to be playing?
Injuries permitting, we’ve seen this before in Wenger.
The downside is usually he finally relents and gives a player a chance during our annual season collapse.
But then, one somewhat subpar performance and I doubt we’ll be seeing Elneny for the rest of the season.
There is no reason why Elneny shouldn’t play again this season. His partnership with Xhaka seems to have worked well.
One name….”Ramsey”.
And even though he had a good assist last game, we both know Wenger will always pick Ramsey when given the chance, regardless of performance either him or Elneny only injury changes his plans.
It’s why you can feel for Lucas. There’s always a sense that once the boss has made his mind about you, that’s pretty much it.
the way arsenal plays xhaka stays back and other centre midfielder goes forward , i think ramsey is better of playing that position. coquelin was poor because he is limited player , elneny though better than him is still a limited player compared to range ramsey has .
and it is quite clear ramsey plays well when he is given a free role , unlike he used to be playing before for arsenal. so with three centre backs i think ramsey and xhaka combination could work . last game ramsey played well.
With 3 CB’s the central midfielders should be more disciplined.
One of my biggest frustrations with Wenger is his loyalty to certain first teamers and lack of trust in others. If they are playing bad, get them out the team and try something new and let them work hard to get back in the team. Same goes for formation. If it isn’t working, try something else. I’m delighted he is trying the 343 / 352, and I believe it could really help our defensive fragility. We have seen this with Campbell, Elneny, Perez and probably a few others, players who we know have a good influence on the team. He… Read more »
Wenger won’t play him again this season, and that’s a real shame. I used to get excited when I saw his name on the team sheet, which has been about 5 times since we signed him.
Terrrific player and i think it’s criminal how he’s been treated. He’s been better than just about every player A.W. has preferred to him this season, can’t blame him if he wants to go and play regularly somewhere else
Lucas is a very good player and we need him but I can’t blame him for wanting to leave to get more regular football.
I’m not sure if Sanchez, Ozil and Ox leave he maybe better staying and he will get more game time.
Bang average. We had a terrible summer transfer window.
I wouldn’t write off any of the players we bought just yet
Perez has performed well when given the chance and Xhaka is proving a great signing. Mustafi i am confident will improve and needs a bit more time. Nothing wrong with these signings.
Would actually not mind him getting a run in the team as a striker, ahead of Giroud and Welbeck.
I think for once. I agree with my alter ego.
All of his actual quotes are in direct contrast to the headlines of each article about his ‘desire to leave’.
That’s unusual
Journalists must write articles to feel less useless.
Bit like politicians and their elections
Present company excepted of course
Don’t understand why we don’t play him more. Would suck if he went.
I agree, but he has been injured a few times this season which has reduced his playing time as much as the managers choices.
Its Wengers fetish – Podolski, Campbell, Perez
get a left footed striker, play them out of position on the wing, then bench them regardless of whether they are playing well or not, then get rid of them.
He see’s Van Persie in all of them and releases the punishment he wants visited on him for leaving to go to Man Utd upon these poor surrogates he has found to temporarily fulfill his sadistic urges.
I genuinely don’t think it’s that.
Bought Perez in the summer, gave him some time to settle, played in the cups but barely in the league.
Each time Perez has looked good, but his best contributions came while the team was doing well.
He hasn’t played recently due to injury, so it’s hard to know for sure how much he would have contributed.
Anthony, sorry chap it doesn’t come across well through the written word but that was just a light-hearted joke – apologies if you thought i was serious.
i really don’t believe Wenger would be exercising the ghosts of RVP on poor unsuspecting new left footed recruits to the team just for his own sick and twisted pleasure lol
He’s tactically inept fair enough but i think sadistically torturous is taking it a bit too far lol.
(added lol to try and emphasize the lightheartedness this time)
In his first few games he only woke up in the final third of the pitch but in midfield he was slow and some of his passing was awful.
However his final third play meant it was clear he’s quality.
I think it’s taken some time for him to get up to speed with the PL and just as he was getting to grips with it, he gets injured. It’s a shame, but I think he’ll get a lot more starts for us next season, although that may often be as a winger rather than as a CF…
He wont be here next season….he wants to play in the Euros for Spain… as stated above..
That’s what some papers say, but I’ll wait to find out if there’s any truth to it thanks.
As you’ve said yourself, he’s less effective in build up play.
The dude is clearly a striker. Would be nice to actually see him as a striker here.
Alas, I suspect he’s gonna get Podolski’d”
No, I said when he first played he was poor until the last third. He’s improved dramatically elsewhere as the season progressed. He’s had a few games where he’s been very effective during the build up play, but it took some time to appreciate that the PL is full speed everywhere on the pitch, not just the final third.
Lucas is too good for us to let him go, especially with the uncertainty around Alexis and Özil staying, not to mention Giroud not getting any younger.
Nobody is getting any younger!
Like him a lot as a player from what I’ve seen and think he deserved way more chances, especially at CF. But I got to say it seems like a lot of the goodwill towards him is due to the fact that he hasn’t been tarnished by some of our more, shall we say, “humbling” displays. He’s become a superstar through his absence from the toughest games, which doesn’t necessarily reflect his actual ability. It reminds me a lot of the Campbell situation, the difference being that Joel played more games and against better teams than Lucas.
Lucas Perez: Four injuries in one season, fans want him to stay Aaron Ramsey: Four injuries in one season, fans want him to leave Now I’m not saying that I don’t like Perez. In fact, I think he should have been given more game time in place of Iwobi when he was fit, and perhaps rotated for Sanchez and Giroud up front more often. But I also think that his lack of playing time has been used as a catalyst for a certain amount of negative criticism directed towards Wenger. The fact that he hasn’t been available for selection for… Read more »
“Much of the season” is a gross exaggeration. he’s been available for most, but simply didn’t get picked.
As for your correlation between his injury numbers and Ramsey, I can assure you, any issue people have against Ramsey, it isn’t because of his injury rates.
I’ve just totted up the numbers. Since Lucas Perez joined on 30th August, he has spent 96 days (and counting) of 233 days injured.
He’s been injured for 41.2% of his time at the club. That most certainly is not a gross exaggeration and most definitely counts as “much of the season”.
Get out while you can Joel. No wait, get out while you can Lucas
But not really, I want you to stay
Squid, surely…. Ill have to check it out next time in Camden…. Good luck Lucas.. don’t blame you for wanting too move on…. And, I really don’t understand why you don’t get regular playing time…. just don’t get it..
“where his father runs an octopus stall in Camden Market”?? Really Blogs?……I can’t tell with you anymore ?
Like the guy but if the manager won’t play him then its fair to me if he seeks opportunities elsewhere. Great attitude on and off the pitch. Hope he gets games, whether here or elsewhere.
Do you suppose if I open up an octpus stall in Camden Market, my son will sign for Arsenal? Or will I just have an octopus stall in Camden Market?
A decent player who deserves better,
if only we could say the same about Le Fraud
He should be playing when fit!!! Talent going to waste!!!
He needs to play, but every time he’s ready, he picks up an injury
I think people are confusing two issues as per usual. First, Wenger is correct in buying Lucas. we need quality from off the bench AND competition. Again Wenger is excellent in market. david Dein bought Holding, Lucas, not to mention Santi Alexis and Ozil. You cannot fault the gaffer for buying Lucas. supposing Alexis had a knock that would last most of the season, we would need to recourse to Lucas. You take your chances as a player. secondly whether the gaffer is using his players most efficiently is a separate issue. I’ve said I feel unconvinced by Walcott. Not… Read more »
“david Dein bought Holding, Lucas, not to mention Santi Alexis and Ozil”.
Santori, mate, please stick to infusing your comments with your obvious infatuation for Flamini. Rather that then being an agent of fake news.
Dein bought all those players? Now I’ve heard it all.
I.m not sure it is actually true that Wenger buys very well. I could give you a long list of crap players he has spent a lot of good money on. And of course a long list of very good players tbf.
I’ve been to that stall. Top octopus.
Baffling that he’s not played more.
Good news. Don’t rate him. Not good enough for Arsenal. No surprise he is kept on the bench. 17 million was too much to pay for him though. We’ll never get that back.
Don’t think he’s ever been given a real chance to play and prove himself. Of course Wenger sees him all the time in training and knows his team, but I have been impressed by what I’ve seen in matches from him and would like to have seen him have had more of an opportunity.