West Ham have announced the arrival of Arsenal forward Lucas Perez on a three-year deal running until 2021.
Perez only joined Arsenal two years ago but failed to make any significant impression at the club and even spent last season on loan at Deportivo La Coruna.
The Hammers have signed the 29-year-old for a reported £4m fee and Perez marks the eighth signing Manuel Pellegrini’s side have made this summer.
“I am very happy to be here at such an historic club,” he told the club’s official website. “I’m very excited, as West Ham are giving me the chance to stay in the Premier League and I’m very happy to be part of this new project.
“West Ham have great fans and play in an amazing stadium, so to sign here brings me great joy. I’m very motivated.”
West Ham have already signed Felipe Anderson and Andriy Yarmolenko and now Perez, who can play across the frontline, will add even greater depth.
After making a slow start upon his return to Deportivo last season, Perez finished the campaign in great form, scoring or assisting in each of his last four appearances. In fact, Perez played a direct hand in 15 goals in 35 league games for the Spanish strugglers.
Furthermore, only Lionel Messi (87) created more goalscoring chances than Perez (79) in La Liga last term.
Strange move by Arsenal. The transfer fee is minute, Lucas wasn't on big wages by any stretch of the imagination, he said he wanted to stay and fight for his place in the squad, he isn't a disruptive personality and not only is he a different type of striker than all the others in the squad thereby offering us something different but he is better than a few attacking players who are still here. West Ham have got themselves a good player provided they don't play him as a true #9 and expect 20 goals. That was Wenger's mistake.