Newcastle United were linked with the Arsenal marksman for much of the summer.
It was a bitterly disappointing summer on the transfer front for Newcastle United, who probably missed out on as many players as they signed.
One of those was Arsenal striker Lucas Perez, who wound up re-joining Deportivo La Coruna on loan despite weeks of speculation linking him with Newcastle.
One of the reasons why a move failed to materialise is because manager Rafael Benitez only wanted him on loan and Arsenal wanted £13.4 million, according to The Standard.
But so far, Benitez looks like he was spot-on in being reluctant to spend that sort of money on the Gunners forward.
Since re-signing for Deportivo, the 28-year-old Spaniard has failed to find the net in any of his four Primera Division games in La Liga, perhaps justifying Benitez’s preference for a loan deal rather than a permanent one.
He is a talented striker, and he scored a Champions League hat-trick for Arsenal last season, but if he isn’t much use to Deportivo in a division which should be very familiar to him then he wouldn’t be much use to the Magpies in a country where he struggled.
Of course, things could change and he might well prove a fine loanee in his homeland, but for the moment the former Liverpool boss deserves credit for his reluctance.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
