Steve Bruce’s Dwight Gayle stance exposes Newcastle’s transfer shortcomings

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Dwight Gayle is reportedly attracting a lot of interest from Championship clubs, according to the Telegraph, with West Brom, Leeds and Stoke all said to be interested in the striker.

Steve Bruce has made it known he wants the former Crystal Palace forward to stay at St James’ Park, with him claiming he is part of his plans for the forthcoming season.

Those comments from Bruce say a lot about Newcastle’s transfer business this summer, and exposes the fact that they simply left it too late to sign players.

Gayle was sensational during our Championship winning campaign, and was similarly outstanding for West Brom during his loan spell there last season.

But in the top division, he has consistently struggled to find the net, leaving most observers to see him as a prolific Championship standard player.

That Bruce wants him in his squad this season, suggests that the signing of a second forward – following the record-breaking deal for Joelinton – is unlikely to materialise.

Newcastle have lost two strikers and signed just one

So, in essence, Newcastle are one injury away from relying on Gayle as our main goal-scoring threat – something he has showed he is not able to do in the Premier League.

Losing both Salomon Rondon and Ayoze Perez meant two strikers coming in was an absolute minimum, and that they have failed to do so, means it is hard do adjudge this transfer window as a success.

In fact, it could prove to be a massive mistake, and while there is still time to rectify the situation in the last couple of days of the window, it is hard to see someone coming in now.

To compound the situation, the Northern Echo suggests that Gayle himself may look to leave, as he is worried about the amount of game time he will get at St James’ Park.

Moving him on and bringing in a replacement is the ideal scenario, but that incoming player must have a proven record of scoring in England’s top division.

While a deal for Andy Carroll has been mooted, surely Charlie Austin would be a more logical choice, given Carroll’s injury record.

Time will tell how the story develops as deadline day looms, but it would surprise no one if there was to be a twist in the tale yet.