OPINION
There has hardly been a better swap deal in recent years than that between Newcastle United and West Brom for Salomon Rondon and Dwight Gayle.
The two clubs chose to switch forwards on loan for the season last summer and no one could have predicted just how much a success their temporary stays at their respective sides could have been.
Gayle fired West Brom to the play-offs and had he not been sent off in the first leg, could have perhaps put Aston Villa to the sword and sealed a place at Wembley.
Meanwhile Rondon was left to spearhead the Newcastle attack, wearing the famous number nine shirt along the way, and after a slow star he found his form in front of goal, forming a decent partnership with Ayoze Perez and Miguel Almiron.
With the Baggies’ season ending in play-off disappointment, the Mirror report that Rondon will have a clause of just £16.5million to secure his signing this summer, but that is not all they claim.
They state that Newcastle have slapped a £15million price tag on Gayle’s head and that he could be used as a makeweight for a deal involving the Venezuelan this summer.
If Newcastle get anything close to £15million, whether that be in a swap deal or a straight up transfer, they will have pulled off a blinder. He is not young, not prolific in the top flight and clearly not in Rafael Benitez’s plans.
It would be a seriously savvy deal for the Magpies and one which both Benitez and owner Mike Ashley will be pushing for this summer – although for different reasons entirely.