Arsenal have not ruled out an early recall for the on-loan striker, Lucas Perez. With the exits of Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil looming over the club like a dark cloud, Perez can be one of the options to fill up the void.
The 29-year-old is currently enjoying regular appearances for his former side, Deportivo de La Coruña. However, this was not the case last season with Perez just registering 1038 minutes of game time after arriving at the Emirates in the summer of 2016 for £17.1m.
Perez was brought it as second striker option behind Olivier Giroud but failed to cement his spot in the first team. After growing frustrated with a lack of playing time, the Spaniard vocally expressed his desire to move to another side instead of just warming the bench for another season.
Perez is a proven talent in La Liga and was highly effective for the Gunners whenever he got on. His technical ability paired with a decent amount of pace makes him one of the most versatile attackers in the game. He was fielded in multiple positions – be it from the wings or the attacking midfield or even at the lone striker role.
The entire saga over the futures of Sanchez and Ozil has gone on for too long and needs to be addressed by the club right now. It is quite clear that the duo no longer wishes to appear for a side who do not possess a serious threat to the title contenders or qualify for the Champions League.
Arsenal’s last season ended their long run of consecutive appearances in the European competition and finished the season in the 6th spot of the points table.
This did not sit well with the two stars who are used to winning trophies with their former sides almost every season.
Although the club has been linked with multiple big-money names from Europe, Perez is the cheapest option they have right now. Although the Coruna-born forward does not possess the exact skills of the Chilean or the German, he does bring a different set of skills with a keen eye for goal.
However, with an unsuccessful first stint with the North-London side, will Perez favour a return to a side who has not exactly kept his best interests in mind?
A local hero and hailed as one of their best talents, Perez is happy in La Liga and has resurrected his form with 5 goals and 3 assists this season. With a promise of a more dignified role for the club, will he be able to find his feet in top-flight English football?
