Newcastle forward Ayoze Perez is on Barcelona’s wanted list as they look to bring in a back-up striker for their Luis Suarez, Lionel Messi and Neymar forward line, according to Daily Mail.
The Spanish forward, who will be 24 on Friday, has been targeted by Barca’s Sporting Director Robert Fernandez.
Barca are having difficulty recruiting a forward this summer because any new arrival would face the prospect of very few first team starts in the shadow of Messi, Neymar and Suarez. Potential targets are staying at their clubs or moving elsewhere.
Nolito chose Manchester City over Barca for that very reason and now Sevilla striker Kevin Gameiro has joined Atletico Madrid where he will be the club’s first choice number nine.
Perez is happy under Rafa Benitez at Newcastle and confident he can play a big part in their attempt to return to the Premier League at the first time of asking so a move looks unlikely.
It’s a further indication, however, that Perez, who Newcastle signed from Tenerfife in 2014, has a burgeoning fan club back in Spain.
Last season there were calls for then-Spain boss Vicente Del Bosque to take a look at him ahead of Euro 2016 and Barca’s Fernandez has watched at close quarters before when Newcastle had mid-season warm-weather training in Spain.
While Barcelona consider Perez as a potential new signing, the Catalan giants are prepared to look at numerous other options.
AC Milan’s Colombian forward Carlos Bacca, who wants to play Champions League football, has been linked with the Nou Camp.
And on Wednesday, Mundo Deportivo report Bacca joins Mario Gomez, Lucas Perez and Alexandre Lacazette as other possible transfer targets.
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