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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…

Newcastle have knocked back multiple approaches for Dwight Gayle, per Football Insider.

What’s the story?

Football Insider claim the Magpies have rejected swoops from a number of clubs, namely West Brom and Stoke City, as Steve Bruce wants to keep Gayle on Tyneside.

The former Crystal Palace ace was superb for the Baggies while on loan at the Hawthorns last season, scoring 24 Championship goals.

And while plenty of Newcastle fans are bashing the decision to keep the 28 year-old, they may just need to trust their gaffer on this one.

Quality back-up

It is true that Gayle has struggled to find the net in the top flight, scoring 21 times in 99 appearances, assisting four.

However, when you consider the striker has played in five different positions, not always given the nod to actually lead the line, one goal contribution in every four matches becomes slightly more respectable, especially considering he will not be first-choice after the £40m capture of Joelinton.

Looking deeper into his numbers, over the last three seasons the striker has bagged 53 goals and 16 assists in 123 games in all competitions. 69 direct goal contributions in 123 showings comes out at more than one every two matches, or 0.56 per game.

And while two of those three seasons came in the Championship, that hardly makes them irrelevant – Brighton have just signed Neal Maupay for a whopping £20m due to his sensational goalscoring record in the division.

So, forgetting the name Gayle for a moment. Here we have a player who is only expected to be a back-up, has been providing a goal or assist once every two games consistently for the last three years, and unlike the likes of Maupay, has also racked up extensive top-flight experience and will only perform a support role to the starting number nine.

The Toon Army are right to be frustrated with their club’s leadership and transfer activity, but at 28 Gayle still has room to improve, and Bruce is absolutely right to want to keep him around.

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