Arsenal signed Lucas Perez, or Spanish Jamie Vardy – something he was tagged then due to his consecutive goal scoring antics viz. Vardy, for a deal worth £17 million in 2016.
Perez’s times at North London was rather frustrating, as the Spainard was shipped back to Deportivo La Coruna just after one year at the Emirates. Lucas Perez didn’t make any appearance for Arsenal since, and was then sold to West Ham in August 2018 for £4 million.
According to the reports by The Atlantic, Lucas Perez was not highly regarded by Arsenal head scout Francis Cagigao, the man who helped unearth the likes of Cesc Fabregas, Hector Bellerin and Gabriel Martinelli.
Lucas Perez was close to join Everton, till Arsenal and Arsene Wenger chose to interfere. Though when Cagigao was asked about Perez, he is said to have replied, ‘not a chance’ and described Lucas as ‘a mid-table player’.
Its also said that Shkodran Mustafi, who also joined Arsenal from Valencia in the same year, was not in Francis Cagigao’s recommendation list.
