Newcastle United forward Ayoze Perez believes that the team will start the Premier League campaign full of confidence after securing the Championship title last season.
The 23-year-old Spaniard found himself on the scoresheet in the 3-0 victory over Barnsley on the final day of the season which helped clinch the league title for the Magpies.
Perez enjoyed an impressive campaign with the club making a total of 41 appearances in all competitions, scoring 12 goals and providing six assists.
Striker Dwight Gayle and midfielder Matt Ritchie were the only other Newcastle players to score more goals than the Spaniard last season.
Speaking to the Chronicle, Perez believes that finishing the campaign as champions will only benefit the team as they prepare for life back in the English top flight.
“With the achievement of being Champions, we are even more confident than before,” he said.
“We know it’s going to be a hard battle but we are going to be ready for it.
“The fans know we are going in the right direction.
“We are back in the Premier League, we are Champions, we are playing good football as a team.
“There are good reasons to be happy and we must keep working hard and trying to achieve more.”
Perez signed for the Tyneside club from Spanish side Tenerife in the 2014 summer transfer window for a fee just over £1million.
During his first season with the club, the forward was a regular in the Newcastle starting lineup and his contribution helped the club avoid relegation during the 2014-15 campaign.
The Spaniard scored six goals the following season but it was not sufficient enough as the Magpies were relegated to the Championship for the first time since 2009.
Having helped the club achieve automatic promotion at the first attempt, Perez is one of the few Newcastle players with Premier League experience as he has made a total of 70 appearances in the top flight.