According to a report from reliable Spanish news outlet El Confidencial, Arsenal are set to sign Spanish center forward Lucas Pérez, of Deportivo La Coruna.
The Daily Star, has reported that the Spanish striker is set to sign for Arsenal by tomorrow, reporting that the two clubs have a ‘total agreement’ with regard to the player and that Arsenal have now won the race for him.
Further, The Telegraph has additionally confirmed in a report that Arsenal’s officials have flown to Spain to complete a deal for the Spanish forward.
A failed move for Ligue 1 club Olympique Lyon’s Alexandre Lacazette earlier this month had seemingly put an end to any hopes that the North London outfit would sign a striker this summer, but the Spanish news outlet has brought Arsenal supporters some rare positive news.
Arsenal are reportedly keen to sign Deportivo’s Lucas Perez and are likely to beat fellow Premier League club Everton to the striker’s signing. The Merseyside club has been long linked to the forward and was willing to meet his £16.9million (€20 million) buyout clause.
Perez is yet to earn a senior national team cap for Spain but Everton have been working on a deal to bring the talented left-footed center forward to Goodison Park after former Leicester City scout and Everton’s current Director of football Steve Walsh recommended the striker to club’s Dutch manager Ronald Koeman.
And now, a third report in the Daily Mail, has too confirmed that Arsene Wenger’s side are close to reaching an agreement with Deportivo over the transfer of Perez to the Emirates stadium.
Reputed journalists have taken to twitter to confirm that Arsenal are favourites to land the Spaniard. David Ornstein and Kaveh Solhekol have had this to say:
Arsenal interested in signing Deportivo La Coruna CF Lucas Perez. Not done deal but #AFC in contention – 27yo, 17 gls in 37 apps last season
— David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein) August 25, 2016
Last Friday he played in Deportivo’s opening game of the 2016/17 La Liga season, where he assisted the first goal and scored a late winner from the penalty spot as his side came from a goal behind to secure a 2-1 win over Eibar.
The 27-year-old starred for Deportivo La Coruna in La Liga last season, bagging 17 goals and 10 assists in 37 appearances. And he had also attracted interest from Deportivo’s Spanish rivals Valencia not very long ago.
The Gunners’ 66-year old boss Arsene Wenger is under pressure to recruit a new hitman ahead of next Wednesday’s transfer deadline and has already faced frustration in his attempt to lure Frenchman Alexandre Lacazette to the Emirates.
However earlier this week Lucas Perez was thought to be mulling over a move to Merseyside but Arsenal’s ability to offer him Champions League football appears to have swung the deal in the Gunners’ favor.
Though this signing is unlikely to please those Arsenal fans calling for a glamour arrival, any deal for Perez is likely to relieve the burden on Arsenal’s 29-year old French striker Olivier Giroud’s shoulders.
With just one year left on Wenger’s current contract, the French manager would be determined to bring in at least a center-back and a striker required by the North London club to mount a challenge for the Premier League title this season.
Wenger would also want to prove his mettle to a section of Gooners around the world calling for his imminent ouster. Hence one thing is for sure at the moment, we can expect an exciting last week of the 2016 summer transfer window.
