West Ham plot swoop for Arsenal forward

West Ham United are willing to offer an escape route to Arsenal attacker Lucas Perez when the transfer window restarts in July.

The Spanish footballer linked up with the north London giants from Deportivo La Coruna last summer after the club managed to trigger his £17.1m release clause.

However, the 28-year-old has not had a fond time since then with manager Arsene Wenger having offered him just two starts in the Premier League while he has been in-and-out of the lineup in the other competitions.

The Mirror reports that the Hammers are lining up a move for the out-of-favour forward, who has impressed despite his limited playing time at the Emirates.

Perez has managed seven goals and five assists in his 21 appearances for the Gunners, and the Hammers will hope to prise him away with the guarantee of a regular starting role under Slaven Bilic.

The attacker is understood to have the dream of representing Spain at the 2018 World Cup, and for this, he could preferably move elsewhere as he has yet to even earn a national call-up.