West Ham United has signed striker Lucas Perez from Arsenal on a three-year contract, both English Premier League clubs confirmed on Thursday.
The 29-year-old is West Ham’s seventh signing of the close season.
Financial details of the deal were not disclosed, but local media said West Ham had paid about 4 million pounds for the Spaniard. Perez joined Arsenal in August 2016 from Deportivo la Coruna but started just two Premier League games for the London club, making another nine appearances off the bench. He was later loaned back to the Spanish side the following season.
“I’m very happy to be here at such an historic club,” he said in a statement on West Ham’s 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 director of football Mario Husillos said Perez’s arrival would increase new manager Manuel Pellegrini’s options upfront.
This is in view of the fact that Andy Carroll is set to miss West Ham’s season opener at Liverpool on Sunday due to injury. “His style is different from the other strikers we have available to us, and that gives the manager more options for our attacking play,” Husillos said. “Lucas also has experience of the Premier League with Arsenal, and is familiar with life here in London, which of course means that he will take less time to adapt and be ready.”
The English transfer window closes at 1600 GMT (05:00 p.m. BST) on Thursday.
Source:Reuters
