Former Newcastle United player Dwight Gayle has been named by one of his old teammates as a reason why he signed for a new club.
While a lot of the attention was on the arrivals and the Alexander Isak saga on Tyneside, some fans enjoy seeing how their former players are getting on.
Longstanding players Callum Wilson and Sean Longstaff left Newcastle United during the summer transfer window and have made positive starts at West Ham United and Leeds United, respectively.
Elsewhere, former players from many years ago have also made interesting moves in recent months. Most recently, Aleksandar Mitrovic joined Al Rayyan in the Qatar Stars League from Al-Hilal.
Now, another player has thanked former Toon striker Dwight Gayle for convincing him to join Scottish Premiership club Hibernian on deadline day.
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Dan Barlaser shares a conversation with former Newcastle man Dwight Gayle after Hibs move
Former Newcastle man Dan Barlaser was a promising academy player during his time on Tyneside, and that potential was seen by Rafa Benitez, who handed him his first competitive start in the FA Cup against Birmingham City.
The Gateshead-born midfielder was sent on loans to Crewe Alexandra, Accrington Stanley and Rotherham United. Barlaser eventually joined the latter on a permanent deal.
Following two years at Middlesbrough, Barlaser has now been loaned to Hibs for the 2025/26 season. In an interesting interview with Hibs TV, the 28-year-old shared that it was actually Gayle who helped him decide the move was right for him.
“I have never played up here before,” he said.
“But I know players who have and they say it is brilliant, so I thought I would give it a try.
“I played with Grant Hanley previously at Newcastle, and Dwight Gayle was there too. He actually texted me yesterday saying how much I would enjoy it and what a great club it was!”
What Dwight Gayle is doing after announcing his retirement in 2025
Gayle was a brilliant player for Newcastle, scoring 34 goals in 113 league appearances. His goals in the 2016/17 Championship season were a big reason why the Magpies went straight back up to the Premier League.
The 35-year-old recently made the headlines for telling a story about former Newcastle manager Steve Bruce. Gayle criticised Bruce’s training methods at Newcastle, forcing a fierce reply from his old head coach.
Gayle announced his retirement from professional football in 2025, but he is still keeping his foot in the game. In May, Gayle announced he was becoming a football agent, believing that his experience would help younger players make the right decisions, which would benefit their careers.
While Barlaser only received a persuasive text from Gayle, this is an example of the work he has already started doing in football.
Perhaps Gayle could also persuade a promising young talent to join Newcastle in the near future.
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