Deportivo are reportedly looking increasingly likely to re-sign Lucas Perez this summer and Rafa Benitez is said to be pretty miffed.

Benitez is allegedly annoyed that Newcastle could be about to miss out on another star, since he really wanted to sign Lucas.

The Magpies’ manager recently revealed that he has indeed spoken with Arsene Wenger about signing the Spanish forward, who, according to Goal, handed in a transfer request last week.

Benitez said, “I was talking with Arsene yesterday because we had the manager’s meeting and I said, ‘Listen, we have to talk.’ he said, ‘Listen, you have some money?’ I like the player but it’s too soon to talk about that.”

https://twitter.com/btsportfootball/status/895257510172651520

The Gunners signed the 28-year-old from Deportivo La Coruna last summer for £17m and the La Liga club are said to be keen to buy him back considering how unhappy he is in north London.

Although they’re apparently unable to meet Arsenal’s £13m asking price, they’re said to be confident that they can still come to an agreement over the forward.

Newcastle were supposedly the main club in the frame to sign Lucas but last week Benitez spoke about owner Mike Ashley’s failure to back him in the transfer market.

Lucas only made 21 appearances for Arsenal and has therefore grown agitated with his lack of time on the pitch.

When Wenger signed his new two-year deal, the forward, keen to get more game time ahead of the World Cup next year, realised that his situation probably wasn’t going to improve.

Once Arsenal signed Alexandre Lacazette for £52m from Lyon, Lucas suspected that he was at the very bottom of the pecking order and his agent revealed how upset he was when Laca was handed the #9 shirt without his say so.

While Lucas probably wasn’t given a chance at Arsenal and it’s a shame, him leaving is the right thing to do.