Transfer news: Leicester City announce signing of Ayoze Perez from Newcastle

Less than a week after their first signing of the summer, Leicester City have today announced the arrival of Ayoze Perez from Newcastle United on a 4 year deal.

Photo by Plumb Images/Leicester City FC via Getty Images

The deal includes an undisclosed transfer fee. Multiple rumours over the last couple of days have guessed that fee to be as low as £16m, but the Magpies did confirm today that the bid triggered a release cause in the 25 year old’s contract, which is believed to have been around £30m.

The announcement includes a dramatic video, because that’s the world we now live in.

If this were a film trailer, the lighting and music might suggest that Perez is expected to fill a villainous role in the upcoming season, which is slightly ominous, given our history of transfers in this price range (pretty much just Iheanacho and Slimani).

Here at the Fosse Posse, we’re much more optimistic about this signing than that. Perez has a proven ability to fit in at this level, particularly over the second half of last season, were his goals where instrumental for another wise fairly impotent Newcastle line-up, and this should be a great addition for the Foxes.

As well as providing the team with a genuine second goalscoring option, the Tenerife born forward can play all across the front line, and will be expected to chip in right away with goals, assists and a defensive contibution.

Fans should also take heart from the ambition of the club, and the overall vision that players have certainly bought into under Brendan Rodgers. Perez certainly did, which is part of the reason he left Newcastle, a traditionally much larger team, for one with genuine aspirations to break back into the top six.

The club want to keep growing and that’s something I like. I spoke to the manager and that was important - Perez speaking to LCFC.com after signing

That same ambition could soon provide dividends again, if rumours reliable sources are to be believed (they usually are).

SOON.