Champions League club announce recovery of Arsenal cult hero, 36, from tuberculosis – then release him in same statement
PSV Eindhoven striker Lucas Perez is “recovering well” from tuberculosis after being diagnosed in March.
The 36-year-old has been fighting the illness for the last two months, having contracted it just weeks after joining PSV on a short-term deal.
Following his diagnosis, GGD Brabant-Zuidoost – the public health department in Eindhoven – monitored the situation to ensure that no other player was infected.
But a club statement from PSV has now confirmed that Perez was the only star affected.
The Dutch side also revealed that he is now out of quarantine.
Perez is “recovering well” and will now fly back to Spain to continue his rehabilitation.
The former Arsenal man said: “I am healthy again, I am working very hard to be in top shape next season and I am very happy to be back.”
Despite his recovery, Perez will not continue with PSV due to his contract expiring.
That means he is set to become a free agent next month.
The striker made just three appearances for PSV after joining at the end of February.
His Eredivise campaign was abruptly cut short as a result of his illness.
Before joining PSV, Perez enjoyed a fourth spell with Deportivo La Coruna.
He terminated his contract in January for “personal reasons” after requesting to leave.
The striker has also played for the likes of Rayo Vallecano, Karpaty Lviv, PAOK, Alaves, Elche and Cadiz.
He spent a short time at Arsenal from 2016 to 2018 after joining from Deportivo in a £17.1million deal and made 21 appearances.
A one-year stint at West Ham then followed.
The tuberculosis symptoms to watch out for
TB is a potentially serious condition, but it can be cured if it's treated with the right antibiotics.
It normally affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body, including the bones, brain, lymph glands, kidneys, spine, skin, and stomach.
If you have TB in your lungs, the most common symptoms are:
- A persistent cough that lasts more than three weeks and usually brings up phlegm, which may be bloody
- Breathlessness that gradually gets worse
- Lack of appetite and weight loss
- A high temperature
- Night sweats
If you have TB in other parts of your body, you may have symptoms such as:
- Swollen glands
- Body ache
- Swollen joints
- Tummy ache
- Dark pee
- Headaches
- Being sick
- Feeling confused
- A stiff neck
- A rash
Source: Asthma and Lung UK