Arsenal striker Lucas Perez’s agent has confirmed that the Gunners have rejected Deportivo La Coruna’s €12m bid for the Spanish forward.
Rodrigo Fernandez Lovelle told Le Voz de Galicia (translated by the Daily Star) that Depor’s bid was reasonable considering they were offering almost the exact amount that they had received from Arsenal for the player last summer:
“It’s a very reasonable offer for a player that Arsenal have devalued. But they have turned down the offer. So far, they have said ‘no’ to everything… Arsenal can not forget that of the €20m [£17m] they paid, Deportivo had to give 30 per cent to PAOK, so they only got €14m [£12.8m]. And, previously, Deportivo had paid the Greek club €1.5m for 70 per cent [of his registration]. By this I mean that with this proposal of €12m is disbursing everything he charged for Lucas.”
Lovelle did also confirm that he will return to England from Spain for further talks with Arsenal about Perez’s situation but he is worried that a deal may not be agreed before the end of the transfer window in two weeks’ time.
“In a few days I’ll go there again to see if we can unclog this. I say the usual. Arsenal does not concede, but we are running out of time.”
The Evening Standard believe that Arsenal are holding out for €15m, €5m less than they paid for the player last summer. At a press conference yesterday, manager Arsene Wenger confirmed he has “opened the door” for Perez to leave but it seems that Deportivo will have to stump up another €3m if they want a deal to be made.
