Ayozé Pérez (now playing for Villarreal)

[STM]

Definitely off like.

[nufc4eva]

Good luck to him. I think he has matured and improved massively. He has got 11 goals surrounded by shit, reckon he could get more if he actually had good players around him.

[Kanj]

If he goes for Gini / Moussa money abroad then all good to me. ESP to a team like Inter or Napoli or a proper team in Spain. Ill  miss him and wish he’ll end up staying under Rafa.

[Raconteur]

I thought I was ready for him to go, but the revelation that he has a buyout clause means he is gone. 25m is beans these days, and we'll struggle to replace him.

 

Of course, it's another nod towards Rafa's departure...

[sbnufc]

Sure, he's been decent for us for half of the season but I can't for the life of me see the likes of Napoli being interested.  If he want's CL some club like Sporting Lisbon or Braga I could see.

 

Happy to be proved massively wrong, like Take the money and get Rondon sorted ffs

[Sho Time]

I really like Perez - however if we had an owner that would reinvest I would say this is the perfect time to cash in while he's on such a hot streak - however just like any transfer dealing involving NUFC it's always Catch-22.

[HaydnNUFC]

I know we can't do much if his heart is set on finding a new challenge but if Rafa's staying I'd much rather we kept him. If we sell him for £25m the buying club'll be allowed to spread the fee over something like 5 years by the cunts above the manager. There you go Rafa, an extra £5m to your WAR CHEST to have us prepare a bid and ultimately fail to get someone nowhere near as good for ≤£10m.

[Conjo]

Imagine if he performed as he has the second half of this and last season for an entire season!

Second half of this season he's not only showed to us again that he can score, but some of the stuff he's been pulling off has been incredible. That shuffle inside Liverpools 6 yard box f.ex I was sitting in my chair giggling like a little girl. He seems stronger and faster than he's ever been. Not sure if it's just clouded perception due to feeling better about him than during the first half of the season, or if he's simply improve massively the last year not only technically but also mentally and physically?

 

We'd be stupid to let him go in the summer. If we can get 2nd half season Ayoze over a full season, £25m or whatever is talked about is not enough to replace never mind improve on him.

[triggs]

Was he playing for a move then do people think?

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Was he playing for a move then do people think?

 

No.

[Ikon]

Naah. Good player who's got better with more good players around him combined with him gaining confidence game by game because of it. Confidence is a funny thing, it makes you faster, stronger, more technical and yeah pretty much better at everything.

[TBG]

Was lazy first half of the season iirc

[triggs]

Not saying I do think that btw. I’m a bit conflicted on it. The change in system has obviously helped a lot but even still the improvement has been remarkable and has coincided with him making some noises about possibly leaving

[joeyt]

Sure, he's been decent for us for half of the season but I can't for the life of me see the likes of Napoli being interested.  If he want's CL some club like Sporting Lisbon or Braga I could see.

 

Happy to be proved massively wrong, like Take the money and get Rondon sorted ffs

 

He's not going to move from us to Braga like

[Consortium of one]

no matter what, he always worked hard and never shied away from his responsibilities.

 

i hope he stays, i really do.

[sbnufc]

Sure, he's been decent for us for half of the season but I can't for the life of me see the likes of Napoli being interested.  If he want's CL some club like Sporting Lisbon or Braga I could see.

 

Happy to be proved massively wrong, like Take the money and get Rondon sorted ffs

 

He's not going to move from us to Braga like

Course not. I was more getting at that imo he won't be on the radar of any of the 'elite' CL clubs or bigger or whatever you wanna call them.

 

Mark Douglas hit the nail on the head for me with this

 

Am huge fan of Perez's but bit of perspective required. Always so much better than the doubters suggested earlier this season - but he's probably at his very best now. True ability is in between.

[Guest alijmitchell]

Like so so many of our players, he's a good player in the system...he's obviously well coached, understands his role, and I think almost every bit of talent is squeezed out of him. Rafa has clearly made him better. I'm not sure if he has the natural talent to thrive in a situation with a less talented coach, if you get me.

[Ikon]

 

 

[Yorkie]

Really?

[Guest chopey]

I got the impression on Saturday night during the lap of honour he was saying goodbye

[Ikon]

Time will tell. Should take that with a pinch of salt as well tbh. Most important thing is Rafa as the rest doesn't matter now.

[Mike]

No point in speaking in absolutes when even the club has no fucking clue what next season looks like. If Rafa stays I'd hope he does as well. When Rafa leaves, he's smart to take off too.

[Yorkie]

If Rafa left I'm back to wishing absolute ill on everything associated with the club and I'd hope every single member of the squad stuck in a transfer request. They wouldn't, obviously. In fact I can't imagine their being much response from the squad at all. Rafa leaving doesn't stop them from being highly paid athletes whose main concern is staying as highly paid athletes. (not intended as a dig at them, like)

[Conjo]

You'd hope all of the good players with ambition would smack in a transfer request if Rafa left. They'd easily get better deals elsewhere anyway.

[Guest Howaythetoon]

Mark Douglas hit the nail on the head for me with this

 

Am huge fan of Perez's but bit of perspective required. Always so much better than the doubters suggested earlier this season - but he's probably at his very best now. True ability is in between.

 

The only perspective required here is the high level of standard Perez has shown he can perform at pretty much from day one when conditions be it tactically, positionally, his role in the team, the quality around him, more time on the ball pr better service not only suits his game, but his game suits the play.

 

Something when the balance is right to better, he’s performed to a level of standard a lot higher than most and a level he’s proved he can play at not just in fits and starts, but game to game.

 

We’ve seen this last season when Kennedy arrived and this season alongside Rondon and even further after Almirom arrived. It’s quite simple, Perez will score goals, create goals, be more of a threat and perform to that level of standard if if he sees more of the ball, plays further forward, had bodies around him, more space and time and isn’t tied up all the time off the ball in a defensive role.

 

The fact that’s been his main task under Rafa for most of his time on the pitch says everything about the priority of all players and the fact Perez more than anyone else has been so effective performing his duties while also showing he can play as well, underlines not just how important he is, but how important it is we add players of quality like him to play alongside him in order to see more good Perez than meh or poor Perez.

 

He’s never going to be world-class we know, but right now if we wanted to buy him from another club, we couldn’t afford him. As it is we’ve reportedly paid 21m or whatever for a player from the MLS an inferior level who hasn’t scored a single goal on 10 games. Imagine what he’d cost if he weighed in with the number Perez has in that time or if you’re Ashley how I have we could get if he scores 10 goals next season...

 

Whether Perez is good enough to play in Liverpool or Napoli’s team is besides the point, he wouldn’t replace Firminho in the starting 11, but he’s certain,y good enough to play for Liverpool or Napoli and right now far too good for us.

 

Instead of thinking about 25m for him or about whether he’s at his best right now and his real ability is inbetween, how about we build on getting him playing to his best every week and allow his ability a chance to develop  to at least give him a chance because fuck me, whatever chance he’s had, they’ve been few and far between and often he’s had to grab and take.

 

In a better team, why couldn’t he get 15 goals and more assists? You don’t sell him, you keep him and get players as good or better he can play alongside.

 

For once how about we see our better players in a better team instead of selling them to make us less shit because it’s cheaper than making us much better...