Opinion: West Brom should pursue transfer move for 32-year-old despite struggles this season

West Bromwich Albion boss Steve Bruce is weighing up a summer move for out-of-favour Newcastle United striker Dwight Gayle, according to the Sunday Mirror. 

The report in the Sunday Mirror (13/03/2022, p.68) explained that Steve Bruce is already making his summer transfer plans with West Brom looking destined for another season in the Championship and that Gayle is a man on his radar.

The Sunday Mirror claim that the deal would be a loan move rather than a permanent one, with Gayle’s wages at Newcastle being too high for him to make a permanent switch to the Hawthorns.

With that being said, Steve Bruce and West Brom should absolutely be looking to get this deal over the line once the summer window comes around.

First and foremost, let’s talk about goals – something West Brom have been badly lacking this season.

Only Karlan Grant has hit double figures for the Baggies this campaign, and although there is hope that Daryl Dike can become another capable of doing that, the two players should not be seen as mutually exclusive.

Dwight Gayle has shown he is not only a good striker at this level, but prolific.

Gayle’s goals in a front two at West Brom under Steve Bruce could make a massive difference for them next campaign.

For example, if he was there this year and scored 20 goals or so, the Baggies would surely have a much better chance to be in the fight for the play-offs and would not have fallen away so easily, as they have done.

Another reason this deal should be done is the fact it’s a loan deal and not a permanent signing.

Gayle is now 32, meaning West Brom could certainly be hesitant to spend any substantial fee on him at this point, but on loan, the risk of the signing going wrong is greatly reduced on the club’s part.