Some bizarre claims from Spanish outlet Gol Digital today, who believe Ayoze Perez’s NUFC exit is ‘imminent’, stating the striker is all set to sign for 5th place La Liga side Real Betis this summer.
Perez has been through some difficult patches this season, however the Spaniard has come to the fore in recent weeks, scoring in three consecutive games and being involved in six goals in his last six outings (3 goals, 3 assists).
Whilst I’m having absolutely none of this, the 24-year-old did little to convince me that his future was on Tyneside during a recent interview in Spain.
Here’s what he said to Radio Club Deportivo just last week, stating he ‘doesn’t know what will happen this summer’, suggesting he’s open to a potential move away.
‘My priority is to keep playing in the Premier League and if it’s to take a step forward in my career then even better,’
‘I’m happy at Newcastle but I don’t know what will happen in the summer. I’ve been here four years and that is a long time.
‘I’m pleased to have got the 100 games and to have scored more than 30 goals and I want to keep improving my numbers.
‘I don’t know what is going to happen I just want to finish the season as strong as possible and hopefully something good will come along in the future and we’ll see what decision we take.’
I don’t believe for a second that Perez has already agreed a move back to Spain (especially when he admits here that he’s keen to keep playing in the Premier League), however his comments in this recent interview are perhaps him covering his back incase Benitez leaves this summer.
Not really what you want to hear from one of your own, but a young player hoping to push on with their career would naturally consider their options if Rafa was no longer around to help NUFC kick on as a club?
We’ll see what happens with Ayoze this summer, but I just can’t see a world where he’s already agreed a move given feel-good factor around NUFC at the minute.
You aren’t even allowed to agree a move during the season, unless you are out of contract at the end of it. A fact most of these sorts of stories ignore.
The club announced in 2016, “The 22-year-old has put pen-to-paper on a new five-and-a-half-year deal which will keep him at St. James’ Park until the summer of 2021.”
There’s no way Perez can discuss a move to another club, until the window opens on 17 May.
potski(Quote)