Football
ESPN staff 7y

Arsenal's Lucas Perez must transfer practice displays to games - Wenger

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has urged summer signing Lucas Perez to take his chance ahead of the Gunners' EFL Cup clash with Reading.

Perez, 28, moved to Arsenal from Deportivo La Coruna for £17 million in the most recent transfer window, but has made just three Premier League appearances for Wenger's side.

His only goals for the club came in an EFL Cup match against Nottingham Forest, and is set to get another opportunity in the competition on Tuesday.

"He did extremely well against Ludogorets because he came on and gave two great goals," the Frenchman said, referring to Lucas' recent two-assist performance in a Champions League group stage game.

"He was a bit like the rest of the team against Middlesbrough, in that he could not have as big an impact because the whole team was not functioning as well.

"I believe he has the potential to be a great player for us. In training he continues to show he has the potential to play, he now has to transfer that into the games.

"The more he does that  -- against Reading he will have an opportunity -- the more we will be tempted to say, 'let's do it.'"

Perez scored 17 goals for Deportivo in La Liga play last season.

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