Arsene Wenger insists Lucas Perez can be a great player for Arsenal
Arsenal manager, Arsene Wenger believes that forward, Lucas Perez will go on to become a great player for the club in the future despite not having started many games since joining the club this season. Perez has started only two games for the Gunners since signing for the club in the summer.
The Spanish striker has played only four times for the Gunners, but Wenger believes that Perez will earn a first-team place and go on to make a great name at Arsenal. Perez had started in Arsenal's 2-1 win over Southampton and the 4-0 win over Nottingham Forest in the previous round of the English Football League (EFL) Cup, where he scored two goals.
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“I believe he has the potential to be a great player for us. In training he continues to show he has the potential to play, he now has to transfer that into the games and the more he does that,” Wenger said.
The lack of game time is something that will be playing on Perez's mind after having had a good season last term. However, with a number of players shining for Arsenal of late, Wenger probably wants to keep the winning formula going.
Perez will get opportunity against Reading, says Arsenal boss
Perez will be hoping to feature for the Gunners when they face off against Reading in the EFL Cup fixture on Tuesday night. Having done well in the previous round of the tournament as well as having notched up two assists in last week's UEFA Champions League fixture as a substitute, the 28-year-old could be one of the first names on the teamsheet for Wenger.
“Against Reading he has an opportunity - the more we will be tempted to say, ‘let’s do it’. I think he did extremely well against Ludogorets because he came on and gave two great goals and was a bit like the rest of the team against Middlesbrough, in that he could not have as big an impact because the whole team was not functioning as well,” Wenger said.
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Perez joined the North London club for a price of £17.1 million from Spanish club, Deportivo la Coruna during the summer transfer window. The Spanish forward was impressive for Deportivo last season as he scored 17 goals and had 8 assists to his name.
After nine games, Arsenal have climbed to second spot in the English Premier League (EPL) table, second to Manchester City only on goal difference. Arsenal have lost only one match this season in all competitions, a 3-4 loss against Liverpool in their first EPL match of the season.
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