Arsenal on alert as Lucas Perez agent and Deportivo president talk about 'priority' signing

Lucas Perez's agent plans to meet with Arsenal officials regarding a potential return to Deportivo La Coruña. The president of the La Liga side also admitted they have earmarked the re-signing of the Spanish forward as a "priority" for the summer transfer window.

Perez moved to Arsenal from Deportivo during last summer after Arsene Wenger's side agreed to meet his £17m ($22m) release clause.

The 28-year-old forward was expected to fight with Olivier Giroud for the number nine role after being one of the sensations of the 2015-16 season in La Liga, scoring 17 goals and setting up a further 10 to help the Galicians avoid relegation.

However, he has been restricted to just 22 appearances during the whole season, and is yet to play a game since the 5-0 victory over Lincoln City on 11 March.

Arsene Wenger recently claimed he would "love" to keep Perez at the Emirates Stadium next season – but admitted he would need to sit down with the Spaniard at the season's end and address the situation.

Perez's agent Rodrigo Fernandez Lobelle has now claimed his client couldn't stand another campaign like the current one at Arsenal – and would love to return to Riazor.

"We would not like to spend another year in London as the current one as Lucas has enjoyed few opportunities [to play]. That's why we want to sit down with Arsenal but we also know that we have a contract at Arsenal and we depend on them too," Lobelle said to Cadena Cope.

The Spanish agent knows a deal won't be easy due to the high salary of the player and the £17m invested by Arsenal just a year ago.

"We would like to be able to go [to Deportivo] but we know the the financial situation of Deportivo. It will not be easy but the summer is long and we have to be patient," he said. "I have always told Tino Fernández that the first option would always be Deportivo, the first club we would talk to.

"We have to thank Deportivo for having a dream with Lucas. Lucas also thinks and dreams about Deportivo because his heart is at Deportivo. When he left he said that he would like to come back one day and surely he will do it. However, I don't know if it will happen now or in the future."

Meanwhile, Deportivo president Fernandez has welcomed the words of Lucas' agent as he also would like to see Lucas return to his childhood side. However, he admitted the club will need to be patient as luring him away from the Emirates Stadium won't be easy.

"For us it is also a priority that [Lucas] returns but it is not easy. He has a very high and long contract in a club that made a significant investment to get him. We are knocking on the door. We are speaking with them. If he leaves we will be the first choice. It would be a fantastic option but I think that right now is far. I don't think that Lucas will leave Arsenal whether on loan or [in a permanent move] in the short term."