Journalist Keith Downie has claimed that Dwight Gayle will leave Newcastle United in the summer transfer window.
Gayle has been heavily out of favour for Newcastle this season, making just eight appearances in the Premier League, with none of them from the start. Even though his contract is not set to expire until 2024, his lack of game time could be an indication of an early exit.
The 32-year-old has never quite been able to cut it in the Premier League, with his highest-scoring season with the Magpies being six goals. However, he has proven that he can score goals in the Championship, as he scored 23 goals in 32 appearances in the 2016/17 promotion-winning season.
With Gayle being out of favour this season under Eddie Howe, Downie spoke to GiveMeSport and claimed that he will leave the club in the upcoming transfer window.
He said: “Dwight Gayle will go in the summer, and then if [Howe] wants three strikers, you’d have Callum Wilson, Chris Wood, and then another coming in and then maybe even a fourth who can play off one of the wings, but I think he’d be an option, a good option to have off the bench.”
Do you think Gayle is good enough for the Premier League?Yes
No
|
TIF Thoughts on Downie’s comments…
Interestingly, Gayle was actually tipped by Howe to be a player who could score the goals to keep Newcastle United in the Premier League.
Gayle has been an outcast at Newcastle over the past few seasons, as he has notched a total of 28 appearances over the last two Premier League seasons, and just four of those have been starts.
With his heavy exclusion from the lineup, it is hard to see him remaining at the club next season, especially after the takeover which has meant that it is expected to be a busy transfer window for the Magpies.
With the injury to Callum Wilson, this could have been a chance for Gayle to get a run of games in the side, but Howe wasted no time in bringing in Chris Wood from Burnley for £25m, which meant that Gayle would remain second-choice, and suggests he is not in the manager’s long-term plans.