Earlier today we relayed a report from Gazzetta dello Sport which claimed that Lazio are still keen on signing Lucas Perez.
Since then, Lazio fan website TheLaziali.com has gone to the trouble of contacting the agency that manages the player, Protio Sport, and had it confirmed that there’s been no contact between the two parties in months.
In other words, there’s nothing to today’s story in Gazzetta dello Sport.
“It’s nothing believable, they invent things,” a Protio Sport spokesman replied when asked about the latest rumour.
“Lucas wants to triumph at Arsenal, he signed there with that intention. Lazio is a great team, but Arsenal are also.
“Lucas is in Singapore with his team preparing for a new season that we wish would be a great season.
They added: “[They] have not talked to Lazio for months.”
It’s fair to say that Lucas remains a serious candidate for the chop this summer. Unai Emery’s squad is a little bloated at the moment and it’s common knowledge we’ll look to shed players in the coming weeks.
On a separate note, you may have noticed that he’s surrendered the number 9 shirt and is these days sporting 28. It’s done his hair wonders…
He’ll be a great left winger this season
He is a good crosser I quite like this idea
Still think we need a winger. Someone with speed to transition us quicker and play 4-3-3 (ala France) if need be.
BUT there will still be room for Perez (or Welbz) even with so and even with one of Nelson or Nketiah featuring in and around the first team.
I’ve liked the look of him the few times I’ve had a chance. What I noticed most, along with being a natural finisher in a couple of cup fixtures was his tenacity, something which I’d expect to be a very large box on Unai’s tick sheet.
Bit more tenacity in the squad certainly couldn’t hurt
I really like the guy, he seemed promising every time that he was brought on field. Would love to see him get some game time this season.
He looks rejuvenated with one season left and compatriot Emery in charge.
Maybe the new gaffer can coax out the potential that Wenger saw in him and he can deliver one great swan song season with us.
Certainly has many great qualities but was behind Giroud, Laca and Welbeck for good reasons.
Question now would be if Emery feels he can do without the power and height of Welbeck in exchange for more invention with Perez and a more mobile quicker transitional play to unleash both Auba and Laca better.
Does this mean that the story I might have read linking Kante and Messi with Arsenal might not be true?
Nah mate. Welbeck + £16 million with Messi coming the other way. You heard it here first.
who wants messi?! can he score with his shin?
Plus, Seri didn’t sign for Barcelona or Arsenal, he signed for Fulham.
We will see more of him in the Europa league and domestic cup competitions. And I think he’ll do a job for us
I wish I had as many hairs on my head as Lucas’s shirt number. It’s an age thing.
And why is blogs listing Lucas as a “serious candidate for the chop this summer?” Why not the likes of Welbeck and Iwobi? Wenger didn’t give Lucas the chance he deserved. Emery might have seen something in him that will fit in the new set-up. I rate Lucas very highly.
Iwobi just signed an extension, so no chance of him being moved on.
Not Iwobi. He is an asset.
Maybe Welbz. He will fetch some money.
All depends if Emery feels confident enough he can formulate a midfield that can transition into attack quicker and he can forgo the traditional plan B in Danny’s height and power.
They are also serious candidates for the chop (Welbeck anyway, not sure about Iwobi).
That’s not blogs passing judgment. It’s a fair assumption based on the evidence that clubs are in conversations with Lucas, or at least have been in the last few months. Plus he was pretty upset about how he wasn’t given enough starts last time, if we is just played in the Europa and FA, he’ll struggle to reach 20 apps.
Alex and Welbeck are home grown and much younger. If we buy someone better like Kingsley Coman or Fekir than I dont have problem letting those two go and keep Perez.
It’s totally odd for blog to say that in a post about the news of Lazio being fabricated.
It’s also add for you say “based on the evidence that clubs are in conversation with Lucas” when the very news story is about fabricated “evidence” of a club having talks with Lucas.
I mean, the irony is probably more than all the iron in the T-1000 Terminator.
Just watch the match against Athletico and you will understand why.
It was just for 20 mins but man that was bad.
He was great for us if you take into account our form at the time and it being his debut season for us.
Then he gets no game time and is shipped out after a season and his confidence is destroyed.
Second chance at arsenal is just what he needs to produce again.
The squad may need a trim, but surely one of Lucas and #datguy has to stay because only two frontline strikers isn’t going to get the baby a bonnet is it?
The baby must have a bonnet for sure
There’s also Nelson or Nektiah so plenty of strikers
suspect he replaces Welbeck as the 3rd choice forward/ wide player. Just due to the fact Welbeck is an English international, we would almost certainly recoup a lot of money for a player who probably only marginally better than Perez if at all.
There are rumours of an Everton move.
But I would put money on West ham, Jack will bend their ear surely.
Watch out for home grown rule
Nice catch Savage! Need to sell Cech AND Ospina to clear room to keep Perez. Two senior players over cap and were at the minimum of HG (not including kids). Also, why Ramsey’s agent is bending the board backwards.
NO problem with home grown. Bellerin is also home grown as is AMN, Holding, Chambers, Ramsey, either of the Jeff, Nketiah, Nelson and yes, Iwobi not to mention Macey of he gets the nod over Martinez (who should also be home grown)
Plenty.
Well, Welbz will sell for much more which will help recoup on outgoing.
Question is if the gaffer thinks he can do without the option for power and height that Danny brings as a ‘plan B’.
A lot depends on if we can craft our transitions quicker and make use of Laca and Auba better before the opponents organise and sit in front of the box.
The squad is not bloated. It is if we consider Nketiah, Willock, Nelson, Reine Adelaide, jenkinson Matt Macey and akpom as first team players.
Lucas and Welbeck as backups for Auba and Laca is decent.
Iwobi for ozil and Mkhitaryan
Torreira and El Neny for Xhaka and Ramsey with Niles and Guendouzi as super backups.
If Chambers is going to play at CM then I think we should sign another CB.
Absolutely, we are carrying plenty of young players. We should have enough as well to satisfy home grown ruling. No problem on either front. BUT some of the younger players will need to go on loan and strong ones to develop better. I’m thinking up top either of Nketiah or Nelson, one stays around first team other leaves for hard lessons. In midfield should he not be sold, either the Jeff or Guendouzi again one stays other on loan. In defense (when Koscielny returns to fold second half of season) one of Holding or Mavropanos. AMN hopefully gets a shot… Read more »
I am sure I wasn’t alone in mistaking him for Kolasinac in that photo!? I say, we keep Perez and pair him with Kolasinac as our new doppelgänger left wing duo. Hey Andrew, do you think this might open up an Arsenal position for Robert Pires to fullfil the same role on our right wing? Perhaps a player/coach/London Colney janiter contract role?
Frankly I’m fine with whatever decision Emery makes when choosing between him and Welbeck.. Likely to have more goals in him than Welbeck + you coud surely fetch a better price for Welbeck
Stay Lucas while you still can!
We need wingers!
We certainly could do with some.
If we want to switch better to a 4-2-3-1 or indeed 4-3-3 (ala France) from 4-1-2-1-2
one fast winger will help us transition faster on the counter.
I would be looking at David Neres, a young player with plenty of potential at Ajax. If not it would be Lozano or Thauvin, maybe from left field Carrasco who is wasting his time in China at 24yrs.
“It’s done his hair wonders…”
Eh?
He’s got a transplant…
He’s been looking hungry and has pulled his shorts up ala Alexis. Would be odd to see him sold now but I guess if the offer is big enough, why not. The other curiousity is now Welbeck. Granted he was involved with England all the way through to the semis, he didn’t feature a minute. Why does he have to have such an extended break and miss pre-season. I suspect Auba and Laca aside, the futures of both Welbeck and Perez will be subject to what offers are tabled. Dependent on that, one will be kept and the other sold… Read more »
I think we are likely to see a variation of the same flex 4-1-2-1-2 system /4-2-3-1 employed by Wenger. It will be difficult for Emery to change it over night. Details will be what he will be mainly working on. If that’s the case we likely have 4 spots for ‘strikers’. The 2 up top in the 4-1-2-1-2 can morph to 4-2-3-1 with one of the strikers (like Auba) dropping wide left (or for that matter Laca wide right) In which case we have spots for both Welbeck or Perez And Nelson or Nketiah to fill as surrogates behind the… Read more »