Dwight Gayle is struggling for opportunities at Newcastle United this season – and the potential arrival of Besiktas striker Cenk Tosun in January could be the final straw.
Gayle may have scored 23 goals in the Championship last season, spearheading Newcastle United’s return to the Premier League, but that hasn’t guaranteed him a starting place in the team in the top flight.
The 26-year-old has started just two of The Magpies first seven Premier League games in 2017/18 and each of his last four substitute appearances have amounted to just 54 minutes on the pitch – certainly less game time than he’d have got if he’d joined Leeds United in the summer.
Gayle has lost his Newcastle place to summer signing Joselu, the former Stoke City forward providing a more physical outball in attack – which comes in handy with Rafael Benitez’s side often sitting back and soaking up the pressure.
And reports in The Sun that Newcastle are hoping to win the race for Besiktas’ Cenk Tosun in January casts further doubts over Gayle’s future at St James’ Park. The report claimed that The Magpies scouted the £17.5 million-rated Turkish striker over the international break, as reportedly did rivals Tottenham Hotspur and Crystal Palace.
One in, one out
Newcastle, who were reported to have made an enquiry late in August, were handed a further boost when Besiktas’ president, Fikret Orman, confirmed that the Super Lig champions would sell in January for a reasonable fee. The 26-year-old scored 41 goals in the last two seasons.
This would leave Gayle in the limbo. The Guardian reported late in the summer window that Newcastle were willing to sell the former Crystal Palace striker for £18 million if they signed a replacement – which they eventually failed to do.
The Daily Star reported that Leeds United were interested in Gayle over the summer and, with Thomas Christiansen’s promotion hopefuls may well revive their interest in January, especially as Leeds’ promotion challenge has faultered in recent weeks. Signing a player of Gayle’s calibre could be the difference between Leeds fulfilling their ambitions this season.
If Newcastle land Tosun, which is easier said than done, don’t rule out Gayle leaving one United for another.
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