Dwight Gayle rejected a loan move to West Brom this week even though Newcastle United agreed a deal to send the striker back to the Championship club, according to the Chronicle.
The newspaper claims that the Magpies and the Baggies agreed another season-long loan deal that would require the West Midlands side to fork out £15million for a permanent transfer if they win promotion this term.
However it is understood that Gayle has rejected the chance to return to The Hawthorns while Stoke City also came close to agreeing terms to sign the former Crystal Palace striker.
OPINION
Newcastle and West Brom will no doubt both be annoyed with Gayle over this. After signing Andy Carroll on deadline day, Steve Bruce has four strikers to choose from this season and Gayle is not going to be someone who is high in the pecking order. If he moved back to the Black Country then he would have been off the wage bill and a potential £15million fee could have made it’s way to Tyneside next summer if West Brom went up. West Brom needed him up front and Newcastle needed him gone to free up wages, but Gayle was clearly not having it which is a shame. You cannot blame him for wanting to fight for his place but he has turned down a guaranteed starter, potential silverware and a potential £15million move to play second – or third – fiddle behind Joelinton and Carroll. West Brom have Charlie Austin now instead of Gayle. We will find out in due course whether that works out better for them, or not.
