Newcastle United have seen Ayoze Perez star in recent weeks.
Newcastle United made it four Premier League wins in a row on Sunday afternoon, coming from behind to beat Arsenal 2-1 at St James’ Park.
The Magpies went into the game on a high having beaten Southampton, Huddersfield Town and Leicester City, but looked set to come crashing back down to earth when Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang set up Alexander Lacazette to open the scoring for Arsenal.
However, Newcastle hit back as Ayoze Perez turned home DeAndre Yedlin’s right-wing cross, before Matt Ritchie won it for the Magpies, confidently finishing on his right foot to hand Rafael Benitez all three points.
A fourth straight finish and sneaking into the top half of the table are the main stories from the game, but the form of Spanish forward Perez cannot be ignored.
The 24-year-old, signed from Tenerife back in the summer of 2014, has now racked up three goals in his last three games, and his record over the last seven stands at three goals and two assists.
Perez hasn’t always excelled this season, but his late-season form may just give Benitez cause to change his transfer plans, given that The Chronicle claim signing a new number 10 is Benitez’s top priority.
Perez is proving that he can make an impact in the final third, chipping in with goals and assists in recent weeks with some superb displays, and may just be showing Benitez that he can be trusted in the number 10 role next term and beyond.
Red Bull Salzburg ace Valon Berisha – who has starred in the Europa League this season – is understood to be a target, but with Perez firing on all cylinders, Benitez may look to scale back his spending on a new playmaker, bringing in somebody to compete with Perez rather than simply replace him.
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