Arsenal to allow striker to move to Italy under one condition

Lazio will need to fork out just under €8 million in order to sign Lucas Perez, according to the latest reports. 

According to reports from Britain, the disgruntled Spanish striker can find a new club – and one where he can be a star – for that little. He has been edged out in London, where Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette rule the roost. 

Perez was sent back to Spain on loan last season, scoring eight goals and providing six assists, and could be tempted to follow Deportivo man Luis Alberto, who has become a star with the Eagles. 

Reports indicate that new Coach Unai Emery is ready to offload Perez, which would contradict what Protio Sport, the 29-year-old’s agents, said last week.

Asked about a move away, they said that reports were “nothing believable, they [the press] invent things.” and that Lucas “wants to triumph at Arsenal, he signed there with that intention.” 

On 27 August 2016, Arsène Wenger said that Pérez had completed a medical examination in order to join Arsenal after the paperwork was done. Three days later the transfer was confirmed by the club, for a reported fee of £17.1 million.He made his competitive debut in the 2–1 Premier League home win over Southampton on 10 September, which coincided with both his birthday and that of teammate Laurent Koscielny, whom he assisted for his team’s equaliser.

On 20 September 2016, during an EFL Cup away match against Nottingham Forest, Pérez scored his first goals for the Gunners, grabbing a brace in an eventual 4–0 triumph. On 6 December, he contributed with three goals in 39 minutes to a 4–1 away win over FC Basel in the UEFA Champions League group stage, helping Arsenal win the group.

On 3 January 2017, Pérez netted for the first time in the domestic league, helping his team come back from 3–0 down to draw 3–3 at Bournemouth. Towards the end of the month, he provided an assist to Danny Welbeck’s first-ever brace for Arsenal, in a 5–0 away win against Southampton for the FA Cup.

On 31 August 2017, Pérez rejoined Deportivo on a season-long loan deal.  Arsenal have an abundance of attackers with the likes of Pierre Aubameyang, Alexander Lacazette and Danny Welbeck all fighting for a starting spot on the gunners attack.

London rivals Arsenal and Chelsea are set to meet in Dublin as their International Champions Cup campaigns draw to a conclusion. And despite this only being a pre-season friendly, the fact that both clubs find themselves with new coaches in the dugout ahead of the new Premier League season means that the two new bosses will surely want to lay down a marker of intent for the months ahead.

Unai Emery looks to be already having a positive effect on the Gunners, with his side thrashing French champions PSG 5-1 in their last outing. Chelsea, meanwhile, come into this one on the back of a 1-1 draw with Inter Milan.