Former Newcastle United star Ayoze Perez is now a free agent almost four years after leaving the club in a £30 million deal. The forward registered 48 goals and 17 assists in 195 appearances in black-and-white before signing for Leicester City in July 2019.
Brendan Rodgers labelled Perez a 'wonderful addition' who he expected to 'excite' Foxes fans, and the now 29-year-old would go on to pick up an FA Cup winner's medal after starting in the victory over Chelsea in May 2021. However, the move did not pan out however either party expected and the versatile attacker now find himself on the lookout for a new club.
ChronicleLive revealed in April 2022 that Perez had been open to a surprise January return to St James' Park in the owners' first transfer window following the takeover. However, no such move transpired and the former Newcastle favourite spent the second-half of the most recent campaign on loan at Real Betis after falling further out of favour at the King Power Stadium.
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Now, Perez has been confirmed as one of seven senior stars to leave Leicester in the wake of their relegation to the Championship. Daniel Amartey, Caglar Soyuncu, and Youri Tielemans are among those who will also leave this summer as the Foxes look to rebuild following a dismal campaign.
Perez leaves the club with a record of 15 goals and 12 assists from 114 appearances, while he made six goal contributions on loan as Betis secured a sixth-placed finish. Reflecting on his future in February after his loan which ultimately brought his time with leicester to a premature end, the forward told Estadio Deportivo: “I came until the end of the season, I don’t think about what will happen after.
"Right now I only focus on being well, on contributing to the team in all possible aspects and, between now and the summer, there will be time to think about all those things.”
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