Newcastle United transfer news: Ayoze Perez rejects Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur interest

Newcastle United hitman Ayoze Perez has no plans to leave the basement-dwelling Premier League club for either Manchester United or Tottenham Hotspur. The Spanish forward had been linked with both clubs in the past but claims he is content with life in the north east.

The Newcastle Chronicle understands that Louis van Gaal is keeping tabs on the 22-year-old, who has scored three top flight goals this season, while the player himself confirmed earlier this season that Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino was interested in bringing him to White Hart Lane in the summer reportedly for £15m ($22.4m). Perez joined the Toon from Tenerife in 2014 and notched seven goals in his first season at the club.

Though the goals have dried up this term amid a harrowing start to the season for Steve McClaren's side, Perez continues to be linked with moves away to bigger names. But the player has dashed hopes of luring him away to pastures new by rejecting any interest in a transfer.

"I am happy here," Perez told the Daily Mail when questioned about interest from United and Spurs. "I am playing and am getting better. I cannot ask for anything else, because I am happy here. I hope one day I can play for Spain – it will be a dream for me. But I will have to work hard because I am still young. I have a lot to do to achieve that dream."

The news sees United's interest in a striker spurned for a second time in as many days after Leicester City forward Jamie Vardy – who netted for a record 11<sup>th consecutive Premier League game against Van Gaal's team – confirmed he was happy with life at the King Power Stadium. The 20-time English league champions have mustered just 20 goals from 14 games in the top flight so far this year, and their search for a new forward appears to be ratcheting up ahead of the January window.

Tottenham, meanwhile, quelled their need for a new striker with the additions of Clinton Njie and Heung Min-son in the twilight of the summer mercato, though concerns remain over the workload imposed on top scorer Harry Kane. Pochettino's side are currently on a 13-match unbeaten run in the Premier League, underpinned by a series of shrewd summer signings and an investment in young English players.