Stoke City will be unable to afford a move for Newcastle United striker Dwight Gayle unless they sell a senior player, according to the Chronicle (12.19).
The 28-year-old forward has emerged as a target for the Championship club this summer, as reported by the Stoke Sentinel, but at the moment, it would appear that a deal is still some way off.
The Chronicle suggest that Gayle’s wage demands could be an issue for the Potters, and that no concrete offer from the club has yet to materialise.
OPINION
At the moment, this is very good news for the Magpies. Gayle obviously didn’t get a look in last year, and spent the campaign on loan at West Brom. But at the moment, with both Salomon Rondon and Ayoze Perez both leaving the club this summer, the Toon Army are looking pretty threadbare in attack. Even with the addition of Joelinton, you get the impression that it could be all hands on deck for Steve Bruce’s men going into the new season, and the last thing they need is to lose a player like Gayle. The 28-year-old was electric in the second tier last term, scoring 24 goals and averaging 2.4 shots on goal per game [Whoscored]. That kind of predatory instinct wouldn’t go amiss on Tyneside next campaign, even if it is just as a back up option. At the moment, Gayle cannot be allowed to leave St. James’ Park.
