It appears Leeds United have passed up the opportunity to sign Dwight Gayle in the winter transfer window due to his wage demands at Newcastle United and eight-figure asking price but are the Whites making a mistake?
Gayle is likely to be targeted by a number of clubs in January as his time could be up at St James’ Park – he spent last season on loan at West Bromwich Albion and racked up just five minutes of Premier League football before November due to injury.
Joelinton is ahead of the 29-year-old in the pecking order which is going to limit his opportunities for the Magpies, so why don’t Leeds try to take advantage? Gayle’s £40k-per-week/£2.08m-a-year salary and £10m valuation might have something to do with it. Statistics show he may be worth the outlay, however.
As per Transfermarkt, the Englishman has scored and created 75 goals in 100 Championship games. His last two seasons in the second tier saw him scoring 23 goals in 32 games for Newcastle (2016/17) and 23 goals in 39 games for West Brom (2018/19).
Gayle has never been able to main such consistency in the Premier League – scoring and creating 25 goals in 101 appearances – but he’s tried and test in the Championship and would be an asset to Leeds.
Should Leeds pay £10m and £2m-a-year in wages for Dwight Gayle?
Yes
No
Marcelo Bielsa’s men have scored just 19 goals in 15 league games, netting one or less in seven of their last eight. Their top scorer only had four goals to his name – Patrick Bamford – so a player like Gayle could be game-changing.