FORMER Arsenal striker Lucas Perez returned to Deportivo La Coruna on Saturday after paying part of his own transfer fee.
The striker, 34, signed a one-and-a-half year deal with his beloved club after making the move from Cadiz.
And according to Spanish outlet AS, he was so desperate to make the switch that he paid a segment of his own transfer fee.
Perez, who has made 96 appearances for Deportivo throughout his career, was understood to be eager to contribute to the fee because he “couldn’t stand” seeing the club struggling in the third tier of Spanish football.
The Blue and Whites were relegated from La Liga in 2018 after finishing 18th in the league table.
After spending two seasons in the second tier of Spanish football, they were then relegated again to Primera Federacion.
Deportivo currently sit fourth in the league table, just four points adrift of leaders Cordoba.
Perez’s return was announced in a statement on the club’s official website.
It read: “After playing yesterday with Cádiz and scoring his fourth goal of the season in the 15 matches played between LaLiga and the Copa del Rey, RC Deportivo, Cádiz CF and the footballer from A Coruña reached an agreement for the transfer.
“In this way, Lucas returns to the Club with which he played the most matches in his career, RC Deportivo, with which he is 4 matches away from signing the 100th shirt in blue and white, something he will achieve in the third category of national football after a huge personal and sporting bet to return home.”
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Perez spent two years with Deportivo in La Liga before joining Arsenal in a £17million transfer in 2016.
But after failing to make an impact, he then returned to the club on loan in 2017 before signing for West Ham the following year.
He was then sold to Alaves in 2019, but he lasted just one season at the Mendizorrotza Stadium.
After falling out-of-favour, the striker then spent short spells with Elche and Cadiz respectively.
