AYOZE PEREZ praised the scale of Leicester City’s ‘ambition’ after completing a £30m move from Newcastle United.

Perez has signed a four-year deal at the King Power Stadium after Leicester officials triggered a buyout clause in his previous deal on Tyneside.

Once Leicester made their move, the managerless Magpies were in a powerless position, with Perez expressing a desire to follow Rafael Benitez through the exit door.

Spanish clubs Valencia and Real Betis had inquired about securing Perez’s services earlier in the summer, but the 25-year-old was happy to turn his back on a possible return to Spain in order to join a Leicester side that finished in seventh position in the table under new boss Brendan Rodgers.

Perez said: “I’m very happy and very pleased. I’m very proud to be part of the Leicester family and I can’t wait to get started.

“The club want to keep growing as much as they can and that’s something I like. I spoke with the manager and that was important. That made me feel very comfortable about the decision to come here.”

Perez joins a Leicester forward line that already features Jamie Vardy, Shinji Okazaki, and Kelechi Iheanacho, but Rodgers is delighted to have prised the Spanish striker from Tyneside, having been impressed by his performances as he scored 13 goals in all competitions last season.

Rodgers said: “I think Ayoze will be a wonderful addition to the squad. He’s quick, has a good eye for goal and he’s experienced in the Premier League too.

“I think he’s a player who will excite our supporters, and his style is one that I believe complements the options and quality that we already have here at the football club.”

Perez’s departure from Newcastle, which was confirmed on the same day that a majority of the forward’s former team-mates returned for the start of pre-season at the club’s Darsley Park training ground, leaves the Magpies extremely short of attacking options.

Salomon Rondon has returned to West Brom following the end of his loan deal, leaving Newcastle with just Dwight Gayle, Joselu and Yoshinori Muto as senior attacking options.

A Magpies statement, released via the club’s website, said: “Newcastle United can confirm that Ayoze Perez has completed a move to Leicester City for an undisclosed fee after the Foxes activated his buy-out clause.”