Newcastle star Ayoze Perez’s worrying comments on reported interest could lead to more doubt about Rafa Benitez’s future

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Newcastle United forward Ayoze Perez has hinted that he could leave the club in the summer, The Mirror reports.

Perez has become an instrumental player at Newcastle this season with his hat-trick at the weekend taking his tally to 10 league goals this season.

Rafa Benitez will be desperate to keep his star players and Perez’s comments about his future could be a worrying omen for Newcastle fans.

As reported by The Mirror, Perez said: “In the summer, there are going to be options. That means I have done ­something well.

“I’ll be up for hearing what is coming, but it doesn’t mean I am going to leave 100 per cent at the end of the season. It is going to be a difficult decision and depends on a lot of things.”

Although he says that he is not necessarily leaving, Perez has hinted that he is open to departing this summer.

And the Spanish striker’s potential departure could be a factor in Benitez’s decision. The Newcastle boss is out of contract this summer and talks are at an impasse.

Benitez will want assurances that Newcastle have the ambition to climb up the league table and start competing for Europe.

In order to do so, they need to match Benitez’s ambition by keeping their best players and signing some fresh faces. But if Perez leaves, this could be bad news for the Magpies’ hopes of keeping Benitez too.