12 Newcastle Successes (And 12 Failures) Scouted By Graham Carr

1. Ayoze Perez

Signed: 2014 (from Tenerife) Transfer Fee: £1.5 million Position: Forward Newcastle United Appearances: 39 (2014-) Newcastle United Goals: 7 Current Club: Newcastle United

The 21-year-old Spaniard was expected to be simply a peripheral figure at Newcastle during 2014-15 but Perez proved to be one of their most-regular starters, and helped inspire their glorious winning run during October and November. Seven goals - including a magnificent flick away at West Bromwich Albion - is a pretty-decent return for a guy who was not expected to get anywhere near the Magpies first team in 2014-15. His eye-catching displays have even attracted interest from some big, big clubs - including the likes of Manchester United and Liverpool. If he is given time to develop on Tyneside then Perez could be a very special player indeed, but he needs some creative influence elsewhere in the team to help him. Arguably Newcastle's player of the season, the club pounced early last summer to secure Perez's signature ahead of the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona - and for a modest fee of just £1.5 million. He is still not the finished product, but his talent is frightening. Carr deserves praise for Perez's signing. Newcastle could potentially sell the forward for at least 10 times what they paid for him 12 months ago in a few years, and they managed to sign the relatively-unknown striker under the radar. Up there with the greatest scouting successes of Carr's tenure. Signing Rating: 9