It’s amazing what can happen in the space of a week isn’t it, but thanks to some crafty work from Arsene Wenger, we’ve finally got a new striker to admire.
Whilst Arsenal’s new boy might not be a household name or come with an annual wage bill of £15million, he could be exactly what this squad have been crying out for.
The 27-year-old has been a fantastic asset for Deportivo, but after putting up with an average supporting cast one phone call from Wenger seemed to be all he needed.
With a respectful price tag of £17million Perez joins the Gunners with very little expectation on his shoulders, and that could well be the best thing for him in front of some of the most demanding supporters the Premier League has to offer.
So who is this Perez fella? Well, if you’re a part of the 95% of people that had never heard his name before Thursday, check out our handy guide to Arsenal’s new leading forward.
1 – He Was A Wanted Man
If we’re going to understand how the signing of Perez came around, then it’s a pretty good idea to step back to the start.
Leicester City were originally tracking the striker, who remained understated in a league that only ever concentrated on the big boys like Barcelona and Real Madrid.
The man responsible for discovering Riyad Mahrez and N’golo Kante? Steve Walsh. Leicester’s Head of Recruitment wanted a signing to partner and relieve some of the pressure from Jamie Vardy.
His intentions were there, and after scouting the player for the majority of the 2015/16 campaign Walsh began to open negotiations and establish a deeper knowledge of what he hoped to sign.
Later on in the summer, Walsh joined Everton under Ronald Koeman and all of a sudden Perez’s destination swung to The Toffees, with Walsh head and shoulders above rival clubs.
Talks went well and as Koeman entered an advanced stage to sign the Spaniard, the movement stalled which gave Wenger enough wiggle room to swoop in to the deal.
Sounds easy doesn’t it? Well, the likes of Barca, Athletico Madrid and Juventus were all keeping tabs on Perez, who seems to be the perfect striker to fit in at any club.
So no, this isn’t a signing that Wenger hopes will be one he can brag about in years to come, this is a player who was wanted by some of Europe’s giants.
It’s believed that Champions League football was enough to persuade Perez to join Arsenal instead of Everton, who doesn’t mind playing second-choice to Alexandre Lacazette.