Ayoze Perez has left Newcastle United, with his move to Leicester City confirmed by the club’s official website, and has appeared to aim a dig at Newcastle and its owner in his comments.
A release clause in the Spaniard’s contract left Newcastle powerless to stop him leaving, but a fee of around £30 million would have been difficult to turn down in any case.
Speaking of his move, Perez told the Leicester City website: “I’m very happy and very pleased. I’m very proud to be part of the Leicester family and I can’t wait to get started.
“The Club want to keep growing as much as they can and that’s something I like. I spoke with the manager and that was important. That made me feel very comfortable about the decision to come here.”
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It is his comments about Leicester wanting to “keep growing as much as they can” that will be picked out by Toon fans, and will be interpreted as a criticism of the lack of ambition at the Tyneside club.
Positivity is at an all time low at Newcastle
His words confirm a previous report in the Chronicle that claimed a source from Perez’s camp said the player did not see Newcastle changing their direction in light of Rafa Benitez’s departure.
It went on to say the player wanted to be at a club that could compete with the likes of Wolves and Everton, something he could not see happening at St James’ Park.
That is a sad indictment of the current state of Newcastle United Football Club under Mike Ashley.
Fans are right to wonder when it will end, with no word on the present state of any takeover or new manager.
The club desperately needs a new owner, with fans now left with the fact that Newcastle are suddenly light years behind teams like Leicester in the Premier League ambition stakes.