August 26, 2016 | Awake & Dreaming

Arsenal’s confused approach to this summer’s transfer window has been laid bare by their decision to hijack Everton’s bid for Deportivo La Coruna striker Lucas Pérez Martinez – a player they passed up the chance to sign last week.The Daily Telegraph reporter says Gunners employees have flown out for talks with Deportivo La Coruna to wrap up the transfer. Arsene Wenger is poised to gazump Everton, who had agreed a fee for the striker with the La Liga side first.

They had also agreed personal terms before Arsenal swept in and lured Perez to north London with the promise of Champions League football. Telegraph reporter Matt Law tweeted: “Arsenal are in Spain now finalising the Lucas Perez transfer – huge blow to Everton who thought they had him.” The deal is expected to go through without any problems. Perez scored 17 La Liga goals last term and has been likened to Leicester star Jamie Vardy who Arsenal attempted to sign earlier this summer. The Daily Telegraph can reveal that Arsenal were first offered the man commonly known as Lucas last week, but informed the Spaniard’s representatives that the 27-year-old was not among their top striker targets. Spanish sources close to Lucas were stunned when Arsenal decided to rival Everton’s £17?million bid late on Wednesday, having assumed the Emirates club had decided to pursue targets higher up their list.

Arsenal officials travelled out to Spain on Thursday to conclude a deal for Lucas, despite the previous agreement with Everton and interest from Valencia, with the transfer expected to go through. Wenger has come under fire for his perceived inactivity in this summer’s transfer window and was again urged by the club’s fans to spend more money in last weekend’s goalless draw against Leicester City. Arsenal’s ineffective attacking performance in that game influenced Wenger’s decision that he needed to sign another striker before the transfer window shuts next week. The Spaniard scored 17 La Liga goals for Deportivo last season and netted the winner in their 2-1 victory over Elbar last Friday night, but questions will be asked over whether Lucas represents the sort of top quality Wenger has often claimed he is searching for. A late bloomer, Lucas has never played for Spain at any level and netted only six goals in 21 appearances for Deportivo in the 2014/15 season having previously spent six seasons in Ukraine and Greece.

Clichés become clichés for a reason. Tell us about the last time a bird in the hand was worth two in the bush for you.

Well to be truthful, I have had a bird in my hand and about the bush, well yeah from time to time I have seen two or maybe more than two in a bush here and there. Perhaps building a nest or checking for food or whatever it is that birds do in bushes.

I like some cliches. I like calling out on cliches. I like to prove some cliches right and some cliches wrong. I even love the word cliche. But a bird in hand – yup that’s a true one! If you have something with you and it’s yours, then it definitely is worth a heck of a lot more than two that is nearby, is even tempting, but is not yours.

Prompt from The Daily Post at WordPress.com