Newcastle United manager Rafa Benitez is confident that Ayoze Perez is happy at the club, despite comments made by the forward hinting at a potential exit.
Speaking to El Chiringuito TV, the 25-year-old said: “I believe in cycles. There comes a moment where you consider things, there comes a time for a change and after five years, that time has probably come.
“To return to your country [Spain] in a big team to enjoy the First Division would be something good for my career.”
But Benitez is seemingly unperturbed by the comments of his £45,000 -a-week compatriot [Spotrac].
As quoted in the Chronicle, he said: “When we talk about the future, we talk about doing things here.
“He’s not telling me he wants to go, he’s focused here. If he can see the team is doing well, I think he will be happy.”
OPINION
This will come as a huge relief for Newcastle United fans. Benitez and Perez seem to have a really good relationship, and a decent understanding of each other, and if the manager says that his player his content, then chances are his player is content. Obviously, Benitez cannot see into the future, and Perez won’t be at the club forever, but there is at least some comfort to be taken from knowing that Perez isn’t actively pushing for a move away from Tyneside. Sometimes comments like this can be taken out of context or blown way out of proportion, and the chances are Perez didn’t mean to cause the minor panic and raft of speculation that he did when he gave his interview. Perhaps a little more forethought wouldn’t go a miss next time, but for now, if he continues to put in the level of performance that he has been in recent weeks, all of this will blow over pretty quickly.
