Arsenal: Lucas Perez lashing out totally justified

Lucas Perez has lashed out at Arsenal and Arsene Wenger for how he was treated last season, revealing his desire to leave the club this summer. Such vilification is totally justified given the disrespect that he suffered during his first season in North London.

Having a large, varied and competitive squad produces problems that managers welcome. There are, ultimately, only 11 starting positions. Every player wants to start; they want to play football. But often, they cannot be offered such a simple thing. That is what Lucas Perez experienced in his first season at Arsenal last year.

Related Story: Arsenal: 3 players who should leave before Lucas Perez

Perez was signed in a £17 million deal last summer with the hope that he would provide Arsene Wenger with another option in the striking department. No one ever expected him to enter the squad as an accomplished, polished centre-forward. He was signed to be given an opportunity and see what he potentially develop into.

More from Pain in the Arsenal

• 3 observations from Arsenal’s victory at Goodison Park
• 3 standout players from 1-0 victory over Everton
• 3 positives & negatives from Goodison Park victory
• Arsenal vs PSV preview: Prediction, team news & lineups
• 3 talking points from Arsenal’s victory at Goodison Park

Unfortunately, that is not what happened. Wenger refused to trust Perez, restricting his playing time significantly, ultimately resigning him to little more than a reserve role. Perez, clearly feeling disrespected and jilted by Wenger’s management of him, has now lashed out at Arsenal and Wenger, revealing his intention to leave the club after just one, underwhelming season:

"“I want to leave, to play and be happy They [Arsenal] are not behaving well with me. The thing of taking the shirt number without telling me to give it to a companion, it seems to me the last straw. I cannot continue this way. I have given everything, but that has not been reciprocated, so I can’t stand it any longer. I feel cheated. In February I was not allowed to leave for China with the promise that I would play more and after that I had even fewer opportunities.”"

Although no player should be considered above the club, Perez’s complaints certainly carry some weight. In the same interview, he states that, of the limited opportunities he was given, he took them, only to find his game time reduced further. And looking at the stats, that is certainly true.

Through the year, Perez featured in 491 minutes of total football; 21 appearances in total, nine of which were starts. In those 491 minutes, Perez scored seven goals, recorded a further five assists and was a continual thorn in the sides of opposing defences thanks to his clever, subtle movement, his neat flicks and cute little touches, and his finishing ability.

In 136 Champions League minutes, Perez scored three goals, adding a further two assists. In three EFL Cup starts, he scored twice, while also adding another in limited FA Cup time. This was a player who dutifully fulfilled all of his responsibilities and more in limited time. And now he’s set to leave.

Next: Arsenal: Predicted FIFA 18 player ratings

That is extremely frustrating. However, blame cannot be attributed to Perez. He was mistreated, disrespected and now he seeks an exit. Wenger must accept the criticism for this missed opportunity, because, ultimately, it is his fault.