First Rafa Benitez left, and now Ayoze Perez has moved on from Newcastle and joined Leicester City for a reported £30million. The Spanish forward leaves Tyneside after five years with the club, and has left many of the Toon fanbase struggling to come to terms with where this now leaves United.
The 25-year-old has helped the situation somewhat by posting an emotional farewell message on his personal Twitter account, noting that the Magpies have been a hugely important part of his life, and that he is grateful for how the St James’ Park faithful treated him throughout his Newcastle career.
He thanked the club for making his dream of playing in the Premier League a reality, too, but departs for the Foxes on a four-year deal and is already in training with Brendan Rodgers’ side after 195 games for United – 143 of which came in the top-flight, while 36 came in our year in the Championship where his efforts helped facilitate promotion as champions.
“I would like to write some words of gratitude for a club, a city, and supporters which have been such an important part of my career and personal life,” noted the former CD Tenerife striker following his departure from St James’ Park.
“Firstly, thanks to the club for the faith [they] placed in me and for giving me the chance to be a professional in the Premier League.
“I would also like to acknowledge every coach, teammate, and club employee who I’ve been with during my time in Newcastle. I’ve learnt a lot from all of them and shared many experiences, which have made me grow as a footballer and as a person.
“I leave as a man, but I arrived as a boy. And for this, I can only be grateful to a great club, great supporters and a beautiful city which cared for me from the first moment I arrived.
“Never forget that I will carry on being a Geordie, given that I feel I’m practically another academy graduate. I will always be grateful for having been given the opportunity to fulfil my dream of playing in the Premier League.”
Here’s how these Newcastle fans reacted to Perez’s emotional farewell message…
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