Newcastle United are willing to listen to offers for reported Nottingham Forest target Dwight Gayle during the January transfer window, according to Chronicle Live.
The Reds do hold interest in the striker (Nottinghamshire Live) and the latest development could offer hopes that Forest could theoretically pull off a major signing.
Gayle has played just four minutes of football this season having missed the start of the season through injury. Now fully fit, he is still some way down Steve Bruce’s pecking order.
Forest will undoubtedly be actively persuing a striker during the January transfer window. Lewis Grabban and Rafa Mir are the only two frontmen in Sabri Lamouchi’s squad and the Spaniard is yet to prove himself.
Gayle would represent remarkable business for any Championship outfit. He fired West Brom into the play-offs last season, scoring 24 goals in 41 appearances for the Baggies.
Signing him wouldn’t be without complications, however.
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The 29-year-old is paid £40,000-a-week, according to Spotrac, and that is likely to be well out of Forest’s price range for a January window.
Decision
Gayle would probably come in and hit the ground running but Grabban hasn’t done too much wrong to warrant being dropped from the team.
Forest could do with someone a little younger who wouldn’t necessarily mind playing second fiddle, acting as a deputy should anything sinister happen to Grabban.
The report claims that Newcastle won’t make it public that Gayle is available in January; conceding bids will be entertained if they are forthcoming when the window does reopen.
Chronicle Live’s suggestion does make it an interesting time for Forest supporters. The majority would love to see Gayle targeted and it remains to be seen whether he will be on the club’s list of targets.
At 29 Gayle is in need of regular football and dropping down to the Championship probably won’t faze him.
Many Forest fans would most certainly view him as a dream January addition and this news will please those supporters.
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