Newcastle want to cash in on Dwight Gayle.
Newcastle United are looking to cash in on Dwight Gayle, but are they making a mistake?
BBC Sport report Newcastle are looking for as much as £20 million for the striker, who finished last season as top scorer for the club.
Rafa Benitez evidently has doubts about Gayle’s ability to cut it at Premier League level.
Gayle has played in two of Newcastle’s three games this season, starting once and failing to score. They won the game they played without him.
The problem for Newcastle is that they have left it so late in the transfer window to come to the conclusion they have done about Gayle, and subsequently have so little time to focus on replacements.
New signing Joselu has made a bright start, but expecting him to become a 20 goal a season forward is likely asking too much.
Gayle may well struggle to match his 23 Championship goals in the top flight, but he can be an important part of the attacking jigsaw if given the chance, and the confidence of his manager.
Unless Newcastle have a blockbuster addition of their own to buy with the £20 million they want, there is surely very little to be gained at this point in a footballing sense from selling Gayle right now.
Giving him until January would be the smart play, and his record last season dictates that his market value will still remain high for Championship teams wanting a player proven in England’s second tier.
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