Francisco de Miguel Moreno has praised Newcastle United striker Dwight Gayle.
Newcastle United’s stand-in boss, Francisco de Miguel Moreno, has praised Dwight Gayle as a “key player” for the club.
The 44-year-old will lead Newcastle in the absence of the recovering Rafael Benitez against Swansea City on Sunday afternoon.
Moreno says that Newcastle fans will see the “real” Gayle, with his fitness and focus issues having now cleared up.
Gayle has been plagued by hamstring problems since January, which Benitez believes is partly a mental problem of the player.
The 26-year-old former Crystal Palace striker scored 23 goals for the Magpies in 2016/17, but doubts surfaced over his future when several Championship clubs showed interest in signing him.
According to reports from The Sunday Sun, Gayle cleared the tension after a face-to-face discussion with Benitez, telling him that he wants to stay and try his luck in the Premier League.
Newcastle have signed Joselu this summer from Stoke City, and Gayle may have to wait for his chances.
Moreno says that it is “massive” for Newcastle that Gayle is in right shape, and has hailed the striker as a “special player”.
“As you know, hamstring injuries are very difficult to manage – we wanted him to be 100% in the right way and today, I can confirm that he’s 100% in the right way,” Moreno told the Sunday Sun (printed edition; press reader).
“We have seen him in a very good shape the whole week. We have seen him well, he’s confident – I think we have him back so that’s new for us. It’s a mental battle for him too. Physical, mental – everything. Right now we can see him in a very good shape.
“It’s massive for us that he’s in the right shape. He’s a key player for us and he has demonstrated that. That’s why we count on him, He’s a special player. We know that he can score goals and change games. He’s very important for the squad.”
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