Report: Ayoze Perez linked to Real Sociedad
By Durim Halimi
Real Sociedad are reportedly interested in signing Ayoze Perez from Newcastle United in January.
According to a report from Spain, Real Sociedad are interested in signing Ayoze Perez in the January transfer window. The Spanish side currently have Everton’s Sandro Ramirez on loan, but they are looking to terminate his loan contract in January.
As a result, Real Sociedad are looking for a new player to fill that void and they believe Ayoze Perez is the appropriate replacement. Real Sociedad has conducted business with Newcastle United in the past as the Magpies agreed to sell Mikel Merino to the Spaniards after the midfielder spent just one season on Tyneside.
As a result of this new report, here are some key questions that both teams should be asking before taking formal steps to complete a potential deal.
Should Newcastle Sell Perez?
Convincing arguments could be made for selling Perez and for keeping him on the squad, however, Newcastle would not be impacted much by selling Perez in January. Yes, the Spaniard was the team’s leading scorer last season with eight goals and he led the team in assists with five, but those statistics piled up towards the end of the season.
Aside from the club’s time in the EFL Championship, Perez has never truly been a reliable starter for Newcastle. In fact, the only reason why he starts so many matches for the Toon is due to the lack of depth in the attacking midfield position.
However, now that Yoshinori Muto has arrived, Newcastle should feel more comfortable letting Perez go. Moreover, Newcastle could use the money from Perez’s potential sale to pursue Miguel Almiron from Atlanta United, a move that would be an upgrade from Perez in the number ten role.
How Much Should Real Sociedad Offer?
Perez joined Newcastle in the summer of 2014 from CD Tenerife at a bargain price of £3million (including the transfer fee) and since that time he has developed into a decent player. As mentioned earlier, the 25-year-old midfielder plays a crucial role for Newcastle due to a lack of depth and competition in his position.
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Under normal circumstances, Perez should only be valued at around £12million, but seeing that Newcastle would have to replace him and aims to break the bank for Almiron, Real Sociedad should be ready to offer at least £18million.