Former Newcastle striker Micky Quinn feels that forward Ayoze Perez needs to make more of an impact on matches if he wants to have more game time with the Magpies.
The 23 year old has been in and out of the Newcastle side this season and has not featured in the club’s last two matches with Rafa Benitez’s opting to start with just Dwight Gayle up front. Writing in his column for the Evening Chronicle, Quinn feels Ayoze needs to assert himself more in matches, and provide more goals and assists to establish himself as a striker:
“I’m not sure if Ayoze Perez is the answer because for me he’s neither one thing or the other at the moment. He falls somewhere between being an out-and-out striker and a No 10. He needs to score and make more goals for me.
“He’s got some great pieces of skill – he can do things I never could – but he’s got to have more effect on the team performance-wise if he wants more time on the pitch.”
Perez was linked with a move to Barcelona in the summer with the Spanish striker commenting that he was focused on achieving things with the Magpies rather than being distracted by big name clubs. If he is going to reach his potential as Quinn says, he will need to be more consistent and prolific so Rafa Benitez can’t afford to leave him out of the starting eleven.
