Parents demand money from Arsenal striker despite abandoning him at 2 years old

Lucas Perez during his introduction to Dutch club PSV Eindhoven. Photo by PSV

On Feb. 23, Perez signed a short-term contract with Dutch club PSV Eindhoven on a free transfer. Last month, he used his own money to terminate his contract with Spanish side Deportivo La Coruna for personal reasons. Upon his arrival in PSV, Perez revealed that he has been dealing with numerous family issues.

"When I was 2 years old, my parents put me in an orphanage because they couldn't or didn’t want to take care of me," Perez said in an interview with Cope. "Afterward, my grandparents took me in. This season, I received another complaint from my father, asking me to pay him alimony for the rest of his life. Since then, I’ve been under a lot of stress, constantly dealing with the emotional turmoil from my past."

Perez, born in 1988, in A Corua, Galicia, Spain, played 1,630 minutes in La Liga 2 this season, scoring 4 goals and providing 4 assists for Deportivo. His career peak came in the 2015-2016 season, where he scored 17 goals in 36 La Liga matches before transferring to Arsenal for $22 million. However, he only played one season with the Gunners, scoring 7 goals in 21 appearances.

Perez recalled receiving a fax from his mother asking for alimony as soon as he joined Arsenal, one of the biggest clubs in England.

"She has no right to ask for money because she isn’t listed as my guardian," he added. "Previously, my grandparents sought custody of me, then they only added my father’s name to the list. I was fortunate to have my grandparents, but they didn’t live long enough."

A talented footballer, Perez was scouted by numerous Spanish clubs as a young player. However, he faced personal struggles, with his grandfather passing away when he was 14 and his grandmother dying two years later. Perez made his professional debut in La Liga 2 for Rayo Vallecano at the age of 21.

Before joining PSV, Perez had to deal with several personal issues, with the Dutch club agreeing to wait for him to resolve them. In addition to being asked to pay alimony to his father, Perez is also involved in child custody disputes. After divorcing two years ago, his ex-wife took their son to Madrid, where she worked, while Perez stayed in Galicia, where Deportivo are based.

Throughout his career, Perez has become a legend of Deportivo, having played for the club in four separate periods. He also extended his time at PAOK in Greece to play two more Europa League qualifiers before leaving, scoring 2 goals and helping the team reach the group stage.