Lucas Perez says he persuaded Arsenal to allow him to rejoin Deportivo La Coruna on loan even though the Gunners accepted offers for a permanent deal from a number of other clubs.

The Spanish striker returns to the Riazor after an unhappy year in London where he was predominantly confined to the substitutes bench.

It became obvious he’d be surplus to requirements when Arsene Wenger added Alexandre Lacazette to the squad and he immediately began plotting his journey home.

“I’m where I want to be,” Perez is quoted as saying by Riazor.org.

“I have a right to decide what is going to happen with my future and what I want to do.

“Arsenal understood that and I’m grateful to them. They understood my situation and the fact that I wanted to return home.”

“Arsenal defended their own interests, they initially didn’t want me to return to Deportivo.

“They have reached agreements with many clubs but I clearly told them that my intention was to join Depor and no other alternative.

“I don’t want to give a number but in the last three or four days I spoke to many sporting directors and coaches. But I reiterated that my wish was to return to Deportivo.”

Depending on your outlook, our decision to let Lucas force a loan move either makes us look weak or, given we basically mugged him off for 12 months, it’s a nice gesture that could ultimately cost us a few million quid.

Depor could pay up to €4 million for the right to loan Lucas this year and are paying a portion of his wages. They don’t have an option to buy him though.