Arsenal Transfer News: West Ham 'Close' to Lucas Perez Signing in Latest Rumours
West Ham United are reportedly closing in on signing out-of-favour Arsenal striker Lucas Perez.
According to Sky Sports, the Spaniard had hoped to get more first-team action under new head coach Unai Emery in 2018-19, but after seeing little action in pre-season he now looks set to move across London.
Perez, 29, joined Arsenal from Deportivo La Coruna in August 2016 but only made two Premier League starts in his debut campaign at the Emirates Stadium under Arsene Wenger.
He rejoined Depor on a season-long loan last summer and returned to the north London club behind Alexandre Lacazette, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and potentially Danny Welbeck in the pecking order for the No. 9 spot.
His slim hopes of reviving his Arsenal career seemed to be based around the fact that Emery tried to sign Perez when he was in charge at Paris Saint-Germain, per Sky Sports.
But, after being afforded barely 80 minutes of action in five pre-season games under Emery, his Gunners career looks all but over.
That does not mean, though, that he cannot make a success of himself in the Premier League.
Perez's 17-goal La Liga season for Depor in 2015-16 is what persuaded Arsenal to buy him and, if he can return to that kind of form at West Ham, he could become a regular starter under manager Manuel Pellegrini.
Only Marko Arnautovic made it to double figures in the Premier League for the Hammers last season, netting 11 times, so there are clear opportunities in the West Ham front line.
