Newcastle United and West Bromwich Albion are discussing the possibility of Dwight Gayle becoming part of a deal which would see Salomon Rondon head to St. James’ Park, according to the Daily Mail.
The newspaper report that the Baggies have turned down a loan offer for the powerhouse Venezuela international, with Newcastle quoted his release clause of £16.5million as the price for any deal to take place.
The Mail claim however that Gayle, 27, is now being discussed as potentially becoming part of the deal, with the Magpies initially offering winger Rolando Aarons in a part-swap.
Good move for Newcastle United?
It is pretty clear now that Rondon is Rafa Benitez’s top striker target this summer, but there are several issues that the club seem to have taken with his choice.
Club bosses are thought to be hesitant on Rondon’s age, with the striker set to turn 29 in September, while his hefty price tag of £16.5million is also causing problems.
In footballing terms it would be a good move for the Magpies, with Rondon able to lead the line on his own, and Benitez is obviously a big fan of the forward.
A deal which took Gayle the other way could work perfectly, with the Newcastle man having failed to prove himself at Premier League level.
This is Futbol rating: 7/10
Likely to happen?
It looks like Benitez is doing everything in his power to sign Rondon, and the Venezuelan will surely be keen on the move himself.
However, the hesitancy of Newcastle bosses to back Benitez may see this move fall through, with the club seemingly unwilling to pay so much for the experienced hitman.
The introduction of Gayle to the equation could make things easier, and it will be interesting to see how this one pans out in the coming days.
This is Futbol rating: 5/10