‘There was contact’ - Ayoze Perez admits Villarreal interest amid Real Betis switch

Ayoze Perez has admitted there was interest from Villarreal during the January transfer windw.

The Yellows looked to the Leicester City star when Nicolas Jackson was headed for the exit door, but after that deal was called off, it made the Perez deal a more difficult one to strike.

As a result, Perez ended up joining Real Betis on loan until the end of the season, getting his first taste of playing at home in mainland Spain, having grown up in Tenerife and playing for his hometown club before moving to Leicester.

Betis are a direct rival of Villarreal’s in the race for Europe this season, and in that sense, not getting Perez was a double blow.

And the Spaniard has now admitted that there was indeed interest from the Yellows on deadline day.

Speaking in his introductory Real Betis press conference, the forward said: “They were hours of great tension, at times it looked complicated but in the end we looked for any way to get here. We managed to reach an agreement.

“There was contact with Villarreal, I was also interested, but I made it known what my priority was and thank God it was done that way.”