Newcastle United forward Ayoze Perez has enjoyed an outstanding season at St James’ Park.
Newcastle will have to fend off interest from Napoli if they hope to keep Ayoze Perez beyond this summer, with the Northern Echo reporting that the Serie A side have made the Spaniard a key summer target.
The 25-year-old has enjoyed a remarkable end to the season. He has scored 12 goals in all competitions, including five strikes in his last four appearances for Rafa Benitez’s side.
His form has not gone unnoticed. The Northern Echo reports that Napoli have joined Real Betis in the race to sign Perez, and have earmarked the £1 million signing as one of their important targets for the upcoming window.
It would be a real statement of intent for Newcastle to keep Perez on Tyneside. Napoli will be able to offer Perez Champions League football next year, and there remains plenty of uncertainty at St James’ Park.
Former Napoli boss Benitez is still set to leave Newcastle at the end of the season as things stand. And even if he stays, the club hierarchy may need to show that they have the ambition to give the Magpies the tools to kick on over the summer.
If they are not able to show signs of that ambition, players such as Perez may have doubts about their own futures. And with offers from clubs like Napoli potentially on the table, it could become a very difficult task to convince the forward to stay.
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