Former Newcastle hero with 179 appearances set for £4m move to Spanish giants after nine-goal season

Former Newcastle United fan favourite Ayoze Perez is on the verge of completing an exciting transfer to Spanish giants Villarreal.

Spanish outlet Diario De Sevilla understands that Perez has already left the Real Betis training ground and is now flying to Valencia to complete a medical with Marcelino’s Villarreal side.

Perez, who scored nine goals in 31 appearances in his only full season at Real Betis, rejected a fresh contract offer to remain at Estadio Benito Villamarín earlier in the summer and has ultimately decided that Villarreal is his preferred destination after his £4m release clause was met.

The 31-year-old is expected to finalise his transfer in the coming weeks and could be included in the matchday squad for the Yellow Submarine’s opening game against Atletico Madrid on Monday.

Perez started his career in the Canary Islands with Spanish third-tier side Tenerife and became a first team regular at just 18 years of age. The youngster formed part of the team which won promotion to the second-tier in 2013. He registered a total of 16 goals from 34 games in his final season before completing a £2m move to Alan Pardew’s Newcastle in 2014.

Perez was signed as a utility player to cover for the likes of Papiss Cisse and that summer’s marquee signing Emmauel Riviere. However, he almost instantly became one the team’s most important players in the 2014/15 season and registered seven goals in 36 games to help the Magpies to survival.

The Spainard remained an important player throughout his five-year stint at St James’ Park and scored 48 goals in 197 games to become one of the most popular players in the latter half of the Mike Ashley era.

Perez went on to join Leicester City in a £30m deal in the summer of 2019. He initially thrived as an attacking midfielder behind Jamie Vardy with eight goals in his opening 33 games, but quickly began to fall down the pecking order following the emergence of James Maddison.

Perez was loaned out to Real Betis in the season that Leicester were relegated in 2022/23 before leaving on a free transfer that same summer. 

He made his full international debut earlier this year and played one game in the group stage during his country’s road to Euro 2024 glory this summer.