OPINION
Dwight Gayle’s Newcastle career has not hit the heights that he most likely hoped for after firing the Magpies to the Championship title three years ago.
The 28-year-old scored 23 goals that season, averaging a goal every 93 minutes and became a cult-hero in that campaign at St James’ Park for taking the club back to where their fans believe they belong.
Since then, Gayle’s career in the North East hasn’t gone the way he most likely would have hoped. The first season back in the Premier League, the experienced forward only managed to score six goals in 35 appearances, holding a goal average of one in every 326 minutes.
That was followed by a loan spell to West Brom, which all but confirmed his reputation as a proven Championship forward but a failed Premier League striker after he scored another 23 goals.
With Newcastle confirming the club-record signing of Joelinton on Tuesday, the Chronicle reported that the Magpies could complete another deal for a striker before Saturday.
The writing is surely on the wall for Gayle now, who is surely expected to leave the club, with the Sun reporting that Newcastle have rated the experienced forward at £15million.
Looking at Gayle’s stats from his last Premier League season via WhoScored, it is clear to see he doesn’t hold a future at St James’ Park. The 28-year-old only averaged 0.3 successful dribbles that season, and only averaged 1.6 shots, one less than his two seasons in the Championship where he averaged 2.6.
With Joelinton and another striker expected to link up within the next week, Gayle’s exit at Newcastle is surely looming and he will leave behind his one year of success at St James’ Park in the Championship, not the Premier League.
