Newcastle United fans deliver overwhelming verdict on 45-goal Premier League free agent

Ayoze Perez has been released by Leicester City following their relegation to the Championship, four years after the Spaniard completed a £30million move from Newcastle to the King Power.

The 29-year-old forward spent the second half of the 2022-23 campaign on loan at La Liga side Real Betis, where he scored four times in 21 appearances.

Perez made 114 appearances for Leicester after leaving Newcastle in 2019. He scored a hat-trick in the record 9-0 win at Southampton in what were his first goals for the club but he only managed a further nine in the Premier League afterwards.

Perez is also the most recent Newcastle player to score a Premier League hat-trick, doing so also against Southampton in 2019. He scored 48 goals in 195 appearances in all competitions for Newcastle after arriving at the club as a 20-year-old in 2014.

The free agent has scored 45 Premier League goals in 223 appearances. Despite Newcastle being in need of attacking reinforcements this summer, supporters were overwhelmingly against bringing Perez back to the club, even on a free transfer.

The vast majority of responses effectively said ‘no’, though there were a few more constructive opinions.

“Not in a million years,” a supporter tweeted. “We have moved on as a club and he’s had his time here , he would improve our squad enough to compete in the Champions League and Premier League.”

One fan said: “Moved for more cash and had been loaned out Betis. Career at top clubs over.”

Another added: “No thanks, bigger & better to come from now on.”

A supporter suggested Newcastle look to sign a recently released Liverpool forward instead.

“I think Roberto Firmino would be a better free transfer for NUFC but Perez was a good player for us in the past,” they tweeted.

“Still can’t believe we got £30m for him,” a fan posted in reference to the 2019 sale to Leicester.

“If it was still Ashley, this is our 1 signing of the summer,” a supporter joked. “Maybe Brandon Williams on loan too.”

Although Perez is not on Newcastle’s radar this summer, some supporters would leave the door open for the forward to return to St James’ Park.

“Yes better than Almiron and Murphy,” a fan replied.

Another suggested: “Howe would get a tune out of him but highly doubt he’s been being considered. £30m was a great fee but those who say he downgraded, he did win the FA Cup, and he left #nufc after Rafa walked in 2019, as he felt he needed to get out.”

A Twitter user agreed that head coach Eddie Howe could help bring out the best of Perez: “Yes. Always liked him and think he’d thrive under Howe. Would be a more than adequate squad player for us.”

While Perez has scored just seven league goals over the past three seasons, a supporter argued his strike-rate for Newcastle was respectable.

“I liked Ayoze,” they tweeted. “For someone with no pace and easily pushed off the ball, he still managed score double figures for us.”

One response read: “Say what you like but Almiron’s best season ever still didn’t beat Ayoze playing under Rafa.”

Newcastle currently have just two senior strikers in Callum Wilson and Alexander Isak and are yet to replace Chris Wood following his departure to join Nottingham Forest in January.

“As a 3rd choice striker/alternative option I’d say yes,” a supporter tweeted when asked if they’d bring Perez back to Newcastle.