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By DAVID KENT Published: 03: 52 AEDT, 25 February 2025 | Updated: 03: 52 AEDT, 25 February 2025 4 View comments The lack of a recognised striker is starting to cost Arsenal. The Gunners have just three recognised attackers in Leandro Trossard, Raheem Sterling and Ethan Nwaneri available after injuries to Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz. Earlier this month, Mikel Merino rescued the Gunners by coming off the bench to play as an emergency striker and score both late goals in their 2-0 win at Leicester. However, their lack of firepower was exposed in Saturday's 1-0 home defeat by West Ham with captain Martin Odegaard pointing the figure at a lack of penetration up front. With Mikel Arteta's side now 11 points behind Premier League leaders, their Champions League campaign campaign takes on greater importance - with the Spanish manager charged with finding a way past PSV in the last 16 with a depleted forward line. There would have been eyebrows raised at the Emirates therefore at the news that their Dutch opponents have just signed a former Arsenal striker. Lucas Perez, who scored 62 goals in 172 games for Deportivo, has joined PSV on a free Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has admitted the he was keeping an eye on the free-agent market Skipper Martin Odegaard blamed his side's lack of firepower for the defeat by West Ham Lucas Perez, who joined Arsenal in 2016 in a £17million transfer from Deportivo, has joined PSV on a free transfer. Intriguingly, Arteta revealed earlier this month that he was keeping an eye on the free-agent market in his desperation to solve Arsenal's striker crisis. But, evidently, he was not tempted to swoop for Perez. The Spaniard failed to settle at the Emirates despite posting a respectable seven goals and five assists in 21 games in all competitions for the North London club. Arsenal loaned Perez back to his hometown club, Deportivo in August 2017 before they sold him to West Ham the following summer. He scored six goals in 19 appearances for the Hammers before they sold him a summer later to Spanish side Alaves. Perez then bounced around from Elche to Cadiz and back to Deportivo for the fourth time in his career. Overall he has scored 62 goals and made 53 assists in 172 games for the Spanish side. However, Perez will not be eligible to play against the Gunners due to the registration date for the competition passing on February 6. 'I can't wait to show myself to the fans and my new team-mates, ' said Perez. 'I am very ambitious and am looking forward to delivering many goals and assists. ' Arsenal secured their passage after finishing in the top eight of the new league phase of the competition, while PSV stunned Juventus with a 4-3 aggregate victory in the knockout play-offs. The first leg of the clash will be played in the Netherlands on March 4, with the Emirates playing host to the second leg on March 12. Published by Associated Newspapers Ltd Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group