Atletico Madrid seem to be going through a transition as several first-team players, including the likes of Antoine Griezmann, Diego Godin and Lucaz Hernandez are set to leave the Spanish club.
And this transitional phase under manager Diego Simeone will see the arrival of several new players. The latest player to be linked with a move to the Spanish side is Newcastle United’s Ayoze Perez, as per Libertad Digital. The Spaniard could be bought for anywhere between €10 and €15 million by the Spanish club in the summer transfer window.
Another Spanish club, Valencia, are also keen on signing the Newcastle United striker.
The Spanish attacker joined the Magpies in 2014 from Tenerife for a fee of €3 million and has gone on to become a key player for Rafa Benitez’s side. Perez’s contract with the Magpies expires in 2021 with the player having signed his last contract in 2016. Since signing for Newcastle, Perez has gone on to make at least 200 appearances for the club and has scored 48 goals becoming a fan favourite at St James’ Park.
In 40 appearances in all competitions, Perez scored 13 times in all competitions and was the top scorer for Newcastle in the season, while also registering 4 assists for the Magpies.
Why Newcastle can’t afford to lose him?
Ayoze Perez has delivered consistently for Newcastle United since signing for the club. He has seen a lot of ups and downs, including when Newcastle United were relegated to the Championship and helped the Magpies return to the Premier League.
Perez has become a key player for Rafa Benitez’s side, playing different roles for the club across various positions. While primarily a secondary striker, Perez has also played out wide on the right and the left, scoring goals from whichever position he has played in.
The 25-year-old will be an integral part of the transition phase that Newcastle United are bound to go through once the new owners succeed in their takeover. Benitez has put a lot of faith in Perez over the last few seasons thanks to this work-rate, goalscoring ability and his creativity in the final third.
Having played for five years for the Magpies, Perez is an experienced player who is linked with Newcastle United’s fortunes and Benitez would loathe losing him any time soon.