Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has admitted that he should have handed Lucas Perez more minutes on the pitch this season.

The 28-year-old joined the Gunners from Deportivo La Coruna last summer, but he has only featured 11 times in the Premier League.

In fact, the forward has not started a match in the top flight since New Year's Day, falling behind Alexis Sanchez, Olivier Giroud and Danny Welbeck in the pecking order.

Perez has publicly aired his frustrations at not starting more regularly, which has fuelled rumours that he could look for a new club in the summer, but Wenger has made it clear that he wants the forward to stay.

"He's a top-quality striker and I couldn't give him the games that he wants and that he deserves, I must confess that," Wenger told the London Evening Standard. "I feel sorry for him on that front.

"If I'm the manager [next season], I would love to keep him. We have to sit down together and see if he has a reasonable chance to play next season or not."

Perez has scored seven goals in 21 appearances this season.