Leeds United are keen on Newcastle United striker Dwight Gayle, but may struggle to land the hitman in January, according to The Athletic reporter Phil Hay.
The £40,000-a-week ace [Spotrac] is understood to be a target for Marcelo Bielsa’s promotion chasing side, but given his wages and Leeds’ need to stay within the confines of Financial Fair Play, the Yorkshire giants may not be able to make their move.
Instead, Hay suggests that Nottingham Forest lead the charge to land the 30-year-old, who has yet to start a Premier League match under Steve Bruce so far this term.
OPINION
Given how underwhelming Newcastle’s strike force has been so far this season, getting rid of Gayle may not be the smartest idea in the world. Goals will keep you afloat in the Premier League, and so far this term, record signing Joelinton has just one, and local hero Andy Carroll is still yet to reopen his account. Of course, Gayle hasn’t scored either, but there is no doubting his finishing credentials. Last term he hit 24 goals for West Brom in the second tier, and his average of 2.4 shots per game, as per Whoscored, shows that he is a player capable of getting himself into dangerous areas on the regular. In that regard, it’s easy to see why Leeds might be keen on him, but it’s exactly those qualities that should convince the Magpies to cling onto him for a little while longer too.
