Lucas Perez hoping to revive Arsenal career after Deportivo La Coruna return turns sour

Lucas Perez will look to revive his Arsenal career this summer after a dream return to Deportivo La Coruna turned into a nightmare.

The Spanish striker departed north London after only a season to rejoin his hometown club on a season-long loan which, as Standard Sport first revealed, does not include an obligation or even option to buy despite Arsenal’s preference to sell the striker.

After a disappointing season on loan, the striker is understood to be targeting a remarkable revival in his fortunes in north London with Depor happy for his loan deal to expire at the end of the season.

Lucas had been desperate to return to Deportivo, rejecting interest from the likes of Newcastle, Fenerbahce and Sevilla last summer, but a hero's welcome has soured.

The 29-year-old has been unable to rediscover the form that saw him score 17 goals in the 2015-16 season to earn a £17million switch to Arsenal, with the most recent of four goals this term coming on November 19.

As Depor slide down the table – they are currently 19th, seven points from safety with nine games remaining – Lucas has found himself bearing the brunt of fan wrath.

In February graffiti was spotted in A Coruna saying “Lucas Perez go away” and dubbing the striker a mercenary, whilst in last week’s 1-1 draw with Las Palmas fans jeered him with chants of “Seleccion” in reference to his failed attempts to win a call up to the Spain squad in time for this summer’s World Cup.

“What I feel most is frustration,” Lucas admitted last week. The 29-year-old is crestfallen at how his hopes of a special homecoming have fallen apart.

Sources close to the striker say there is a hope this summer could represent the start of a “new life” for Lucas, though where that will be remains in some doubt.

With Depor bound for the Segunda Division, Arsenal will be handed a significant transfer dilemma as they look to move on a striker whose £40,000-a-week contract still has two years left to run. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette and Danny Welbeck are all ahead of him in the pecking order, though Wenger has been missing the goalscoring presence from the flanks Lucas can provide.

However, after finally getting his heart's desire when he went home in August, Lucas could be about to find that he is paying the price for that move for years to come.