Lucas Perez is open to a Deportivo return this summer, having admitted he has been left frustrated by a lack of regular opportunities to feature for Arsenal.

The 28-year-old forward, currently sidelined with a thigh muscle strain, has played 21 matches in all competitions for Arsène Wenger’s side this term. With only two league starts and a Champions League hat-trick against Basel when he did start on the wing, it’s clear that he expected more when joining the club for £17m last summer.

During an interview with Spanish newspaper La Voz de Galicia, he said that he felt his contributions could’ve helped Arsenal to challenge for honours – concerns that he has shared with Wenger too.

As quoted by the Daily Mail he said, “This season has been difficult because I think I’ve deserved to play more. I may not have done as well as others, but if they’d have given me more minutes I’d have produced better numbers: more goals and more assists.

“I’ve spoken to the coach and he admits as much, but he has own ideas and I respect that. I’d like more opportunities because I think I deserve them, but I’ll have to accept what comes my way,” Perez continued.

17 goals and 10 assists in La Liga last season convinced Wenger to take a chance on a relatively obscure player at the time, but Perez’s comments also hinted that he’d welcome a return to the Riazor.

“I would like to prove that I’ve got the quality to win things with Arsenal. But if the moment comes when I can’t do that any more, or if they decide to transfer me, there is always the opportunity to go back to Depor.

“I know there are other clubs who want to sign me and my intention is to play in the Champions League. But in the summer we will see if Depor is still an option.”

Perez’s goal record despite his lack of minutes this season has been impressive, but untimely injuries have seen chances to feature more regularly vanish.

His ability to play in a range of different attack-minded positions means that if he was currently fit, there’s no reason why Wenger wouldn’t try to experiment with the Spaniard alongside Özil in a creative role.

With Perez’s latest comments though, it seems a summer departure is on the cards and we’ll never get to see this in action.