Arsenal’s Lucas Perez believes he will now show why the Gunners signed him.
Arsenal’s Lucas Perez celebrates
Arsenal striker Lucas Perez has told Marca that he wants to fight for his place at the Emirates Stadium despite speculation surrounding interest from West Ham United.
Perez, 28, smashed 17 goals in all competitions for Deportivo La Coruna last season, finally finding a home for himself after a nomadic spell which had seen him turn out for the likes of Rayo Vallecano, Karpaty Lviv and PAOK Salonika.
The Spaniard unsurprisingly attracted great interest during last summer’s transfer window, but there was a sense of surprise when it was Arsenal who snapped him up in the final stages of the window.
Whereas fans wanted a big name striker, Arsene Wenger instead brought Perez to the Emirates Stadium – and he has mostly been a bit-part player for the Gunners.
Perez has started just twice in the Premier League, and has just nine starts in all competitions to his name, but he has returned an impressive tally of seven goals and three assists for the Gunners.
Now, Perez has told Spanish newspaper Marca that he intends to stay with the club and fight for his place, as he remains happy with the club despite being stuck down the pecking order in North London.
“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,” said Perez. “Whenever I’ve played, I’ve done well and that gives me confidence. I have to be patient and continue to fight.”
Arsenal’s Lucas Perez
“This [move to Arsenal] has been an opportunity to progress and not just from a sporting standpoint. It has been an opportunity to join one of the best teams in the world and that is why I’m very satisfied. I was unlucky to be injured the first few months since I arrived at Arsenal. I now feel capable of showing why Arsenal signed me and I try to make the most of the opportunities I’m given,” he added.
Perez’s comments come just weeks after The Times claimed that West Ham United have made an enquiry into signing the striker this summer – and he may well be better off heading to the London Stadium.
At 28, Perez needs to be playing first-team football and scoring goals regularly, as he showed at Deportivo, and make the short move to West Ham would allow him to remain in the Premier League and in London, whilst becoming a key player with the Hammers, who are desperately lacking strikers.
Perez’s stance may well change should Arsenal bring in another striker this summer, and West Ham should be monitoring his situation closely, given that he’s a clever, classy striker who has shown in limited playing time that he can become a prolific striker – even if it’s away from the Emirates Stadium.
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