Lucas Perez has claimed the awkward shirt number switch that has taken place at Arsenal this summer was instigated by new arrival Alexandre Lacazette.
The French striker arrived from Lyon in a £52million transfer earlier this month and he was swiftly handed the No.9 jersey.
The only problem was the shirt already belonged to Perez.
The Spanish striker, who is widely expected to leave the Emirates this summer just 12 months after his £17.1million arrival, has said Lacazette asked for the shirt.
‘The shirt number is an ugly gesture,’ Perez said. ‘On the [pre-season] trip, Lacazette asked the boss and he accepted. Afterwards, he told me.
‘They [Arsenal] are not behaving well with me. To take the shirt number without telling me and to give it to a companion — it seems to me that it is the last straw.
‘I can’t continue this way. I have given everything, but that has not been reciprocated, so I can’t stand it any longer. I want to leave and be happy.’
Perez’s take on the shirt number switch follows comments from his agent on the situation.
‘The number was removed without consulting him, we found out on the Arsenal website!,’ said Rodrigo Fernandez.
‘Dick Law called us to inform us the moment it was on the web, it was a decision of Wenger with the player [Lacazette] on the flight to Australia, no one asked Lucas.
‘Arsenal won’t give Ozil the No.10 because he has another player, Jack Wilshere, who has it but is loaned out.
‘Lucas was not asked whether he would give up his shirt.’
The reassignment of the shirt number further fuelled speculation that Perez will leave this summer.
Quoted by Spanish newspaper La Voz de Galicia, Perez revealed that he had the chance to leave for China in February but Wenger blocked the deal.
‘I feel cheated. In February I was not allowed to leave for China with the promise that I would play more and after that I had even fewer opportunities.
‘Last year he [Wenger] told me that he understood that I was upset. I think this season things will get worse, so help me out.’
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