West Brom must make Newcastle United centre-forward Dwight Gayle an offer he cannot refuse in order for him to make the move to the Hawthorns this summer, according to the Newcastle Chronicle.
The newspaper states that Darren Moore’s side will have to make Gayle a seriously impressive offer in terms of wages for him to join, although personal terms are yet to be negotiated.
The two clubs had discussed a swap deal involving Gayle and Baggies striker Salomon Rondon, but Newcastle rejected the possibility of Gayle going on loan to West Brom last week.
Now, with forward Yoshinori Muto’s arrival on Tyneside imminent, any Newcastle deal for Rondon hinges on whether Gayle is willing to drop down a division.
Having had a loan move rejected, the 27-year-old may move to the Hawthorns on a permanent basis if the numbers stack up correctly for West Brom.
Good move for West Brom?
From the moment West Brom were relegated it has seemed certain that Rondon would be leaving the club. He’s too good a player for the Championship and was one of the club’s few bright lights in what was a fraught campaign last time out. It’s no surprise that Newcastle are after him, but the deal appeared dead last week when the Magpies failed to sanction a loan move for Gayle in the opposite direction. The arrival of Muto on Tyneside appears to have changed things, as with an extra body in the forward departments Benitez can now think about parting with Gayle. If West Brom are able to offer Gayle what he wants then they will be getting a proven Championship striker who will lead the line for them next season. They just need to open their chequebook and get the deal done now.
This is Futbol rating: 7/10
Likely to happen?
There are a lot of moving parts here. It sounds like Newcastle still want Rondon, and with Muto’s arrival opening things up a bit, West Brom can ensure that they, as well as Newcastle, get what they want out of this deal. A lot of things would have to go right for the Baggies to get their man, but it is by no means unlikely.
This is Futbol rating: 6/10