Former Arsenal striker Lucas Perez has revealed heartbreaking details about his childhood and the personal struggles that forced him to leave Deportivo La Coruna last month.
The 36-year-old, who recently signed with PSV Eindhoven, spoke candidly in an interview with El Partidazo de Cope, sharing how his troubled relationship with his parents and a legal dispute with his father took a heavy toll on him.
Perez’s journey in football has taken him across Europe, with stints at clubs like Rayo Vallecano, Karpaty Lviv, PAOK, West Ham, and Alaves. But despite his professional success, he has battled emotional scars from a difficult upbringing.
Abandoned as a Child
Perez revealed that he was raised by his grandparents after his parents left him in an orphanage when he was just two years old.
“When I was two, my parents left me in an orphanage because they couldn’t or didn’t want to take care of me,” he said. “I was lucky to have my grandparents, but they couldn’t last as long as they should have.”
His struggles resurfaced this season when he received a shocking legal complaint from his father, demanding financial support for life.
🚨🇪🇸 Lucas Perez: "I grew up with my grandparents, my parents left me in an orphanage because they didn't want to take care of me."
— EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) February 26, 2025
"They found out about my situation and were the ones who took care of me… then comes my father's complaint in which he demands maintenance for… pic.twitter.com/BaQHCAVFkP
“This season, I received a complaint from my father demanding that I pay maintenance for the rest of his life,” he explained. “From that moment, I went through months of stress and anxiety, reliving very painful memories.”
Perez also revealed that when he signed for Arsenal in 2016, his mother attempted to demand money from him through legal means, but her claim was unsuccessful.
Why He Walked Away from Deportivo
Perez’s emotional burden, combined with feeling undervalued at Deportivo, led him to make the tough decision to leave the club.
“The issue with my father continued, and I kept running into him over Christmas. It wasn’t a pleasant experience,” he said. “On top of that, I didn’t feel valued or supported at Deportivo, so I decided to be honest with the club and tell them I was struggling.”
The situation escalated when the club asked him to sign a written commitment to stay, despite his ongoing struggles.
“They didn’t understand what Deportivo meant to me. When there’s doubt like that, the best thing to do is step aside,” he added.
Denies Leaving for Financial Gain
Despite speculation that he left for financial reasons, Perez insists his decision was purely personal.
“What father doesn’t want to be close to his son? Of course, I want to be close, but my job didn’t allow it,” he said.
He also criticized media reports that suggested he had left Deportivo over money, calling it a fabricated story meant to damage his reputation.
Perez has now signed a short-term contract with PSV Eindhoven, hoping for a fresh start in his career while moving on from the painful chapters of his past.
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