Leicester City may come to regret allowing Ayoze Perez to leave on a free transfer, as the Spaniard’s career has blossomed in Spain.
Released by Leicester in 2023, Perez joined Real Betis, impressing with 11 goals in his first season, which earned him a spot in Spain’s Euro 2024-winning squad and a €4m transfer to Villarreal.
Since joining Villarreal, Perez has been in scintillating form, netting six goals in seven La Liga appearances. His brace against Espanyol propelled him to second in the league’s top scorers, ahead of the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Raphinha, with only Robert Lewandowski surpassing his tally.
Remarkably, his six goals in the early stages of this season are just two shy of his best Premier League tally for Leicester, which came in his debut campaign.
Perez’s journey at Leicester began brightly following his £30m move from Newcastle, as he played a key role in their FA Cup victory and was a regular on the right wing during his early seasons.
However, his influence waned with the rise of James Maddison and Harvey Barnes, and after the arrival of Ademola Lookman, Perez found himself on the fringes.
In his penultimate season at Leicester, he made just 11 starts in all competitions, though he still managed to contribute significantly in key moments, including an impressive display against PSV Eindhoven in the Europa Conference League.
His final campaign with the Foxes was marred by Leicester’s relegation battle. Perez managed only three Premier League starts before being loaned to Real Betis, where his resurgence began.
Scoring 15 goals in 59 games for Betis, Perez has already proven his value in Spain, and his exceptional start at Villarreal suggests he will continue to thrive.