Steve McClaren is not prepared to rush into offering Ayoze Pérez a new contract. Although the Spanish forward is widely admired, Newcastle United’s manager wants to see clear evidence of the 22-year-old starting to fulfil his promise on a consistent basis before advising the St James’ Park hierarchy to draft a new, improved deal.
With Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur among the clubs watching Pérez on a regular basis it may appear a somewhat laid-back attitude. However, he signed a long-term agreement – Newcastle have never specified its precise length – when he joined from Tenerife 18 months ago and McClaren feels there is no immediate need to extend it.
“Ayoze is someone who is doing very well,” he said. “But he’s under contract for a long while, so I don’t think that’s an issue at the moment. He came here as a player with potential and played a little bit last season.
“It’s taken him a while to get going this season but he’s certainly become an important player. I look at him, though, and he’s still got a long way to go. The potential is massive but there’s a lot to do. He’s got to do it consistently, every game, for 95 minutes. That’s what we’re asking.”
McClaren accepts Newcastle could face tempting bids for Pérez in January but believes the forward should stay put. “We’ll only know we’ve held on to our best players by the end of January,” he acknowledged before Leicester City’s visit on Saturday. “But Ayoze’s career is definitely best served here.
“He’s getting development, a good education, the right training and most important of all, he’s playing. It’s important he keeps playing and it’s also important that he’s supported and loved. Here the fans love him, his team-mates love him and we love him too. It’s a great environment for Ayoze to develop in.
“He has forced his way into my team. When I first came, I didn’t know a lot about him. There were other players in a similar position who I knew a lot more about. Ayoze had limited opportunities in pre-season but he stuck at it, kept going and forced his way into things.”
