Dwight Gayle scored two brilliant goals as West Bromwich Albion sealed a 2-1 Championship victory over Stoke City at The Hawthorns on Saturday
One man was the difference in Stoke City’s 2-1 defeat to West Bromwich Albion on Saturday. Ironically, it was a man who Potters boss Gary Rowett wanted to sign during the summer transfer window.
It is well documented that Stoke wanted to bring Newcastle United’s number nine Dwight Gayle to the Potteries. But in the weekend’s clash at the Hawthorns, Gayle was wearing the colours of West Brom instead, scoring two sublime solo goals to condemn Rowett’s visitors to defeat.
“I don’t know that we came that close,” Rowett told the Sentinal about Stoke’s interest in Gayle.
“We were looking at a double deal involving Dwight Gayle and Matt Ritchie, but it never came to the point of the price and I think that was the difficult bit.”
West Brom always had a trump card in the pursuit of Gayle. Newcastle wanted Salomon Rondon, after all, and the two strikers ended up swapping clubs on season-long loan deals.
But Stoke fans have been left green with envy after watching Gayle run rings around their dizzied defenders. Particularly as their own striker signing, Benik Afobe, extended his barren run to five games when clattering a penalty against the bar in the second half at The Hawthorns.
Gayle is a proven Championship goalscorer. And the failure to sign him has Stoke fans once again questioning their club’s recruitment strategy and ambition.
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