Newcastle United striker Ayoze Perez has reportedly emerged as a shock transfer target for Spanish giants Barcelona this summer.
According to The Mirror, Barca scouts have identified the Spaniard as a perfect option behind Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar next season and have already contacted the Magpies over a deal.
Naturally, a move to the Camp Nou would be a dream for the 22-year-old, and it would be difficult for him to turn it down if it develops into a concrete offer from the La Liga champions.
However, Perez will also have to weigh up the fact that he won’t be featuring regularly given the level of competition in Luis Enrique’s squad and so he will be sacrificing first-team football for a chance to improve himself largely off the pitch.
Having scored 13 league goals in his two seasons with Newcastle to this point, a move elsewhere could be a disruptive process for his career.
While the club’s relegation concerns could ultimately tip the balance in favour of a move to Spain, it remains to be seen what he chooses to do if Barca come calling after agreeing terms with the club.
On the face of it, this would seem like an obvious choice to make, and Perez wouldn’t be the first making such a move with the motives involved. However, if Barca are serious about signing him this summer, then he’ll have to think about what it will do for his career both in the short and long term.