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DEPORTIVO LA CORUÑA

Lucas Pérez feels 'cheated' by Arsenal, wants Depor return

According to La Voz de Galicia, the player is unhappy with Arsenal's decision to hand his shirt to Alexandre Lacazette, and wants to return to his hometown club.

Lucas Pérez feels 'cheated' by Arsenal, wants Depor return
JESUS SANCHO RODRIGUEZ (SANCHOFOTO)DIARIO AS

Lucas Pérez has hit out at Arsenal and declared his desire to return to Deportivo La Coruña. 

Pérez wants to leave Arsenal for Depor

La Voz de Galicia has reported that the 28-year-old held a fraught meeting with Dick Law, the manager of football operations at Arsenal, with the decision to hand the number 9 shirt to Alexandre Lacazette one of his principal grievances.

“I want to leave so I can play and be happy. Last year I barely had any opportunities, and when I did have them, I took advantage. It is clear that it will be more of the same this season. I want to fight to be part of the national team. I want to play football. But for that, I need to leave, and I think the best place for me is at home, with Depor.”

The same publication states that this excerpt is a very close approximation of what Lucas Pérez said to Law.

“Taking away my squad number without telling me in order to give it to another team-mate, that was the last straw. Regrettable. I can’t carry on like this. I have given everything, but it hasn’t been returned,” he continued.

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Deportivo offer ten-year contract

Pérez, who started just two Premier League matches during the 2016/17 campaign after a €20m move from Deportivo, also met with Arsene Wenger on the first day of pre-season to tell him of his desire to leave the club.

He feels “cheated” by The Gunners’ decision to block a loan move to China in February, a point in the season when he was particularly short on opportunities.

These revelations will be extremely well-received at Deportivo. The Branquiazul have made no secret of a desire to bring Pérez back to the club where he scored 17 goals during a productive 2015/16 season. In fact, club president Tino Fernández has made Pérez the unorthodox offer of a ten-year contract at the club, which would see the striker take on an upstairs-role upon retirement.

Pepe Mel would welcome Pérez

Manager Pepe Mel would welcome the opportunity to partner Lucas Pérez with Florin Andone in attack. The Romanian forward, signed from second-division Córdoba, was one of few players to catch the eye in a disappointing 2016/17 season. Mel, however, does not want Depor to over-focus on one signing, in the case that it does not materialise.

Yet with both player and club heavily in favour of the move, it appears increasingly likely that Lucas Pérez will run out at Riazor next season.