In a recent report, The Athletic has claimed that Newcastle United striker Dwight Gayle has penned a new three-year contract on reduced terms. It is understood that the Magpies have decided to extend the English forward’s stay at St. James’ Park until the summer of 2024 (via The Athletic).
Gayle’s Injury Frustrations At St. James’ Park This Season
Gayle missed a significant chunk of this campaign because of a medial collateral ligament injury. The London-born talent has struggled to earn regular game time for the Tyneside outfit since recovering from his long-term injury and has served as a sporadic option under Steve Bruce’s tutelage.
The 31-year-old has found the back of the net once in 13 appearances for the Magpies this term on all fronts. Most of his game time has come off the bench which is why he is only averaging 0.7 shots and 0.3 key passes per game in the Premier League this season. At least, Gayle has been tidy when distributing the ball after completing 83.3% of his attempted passes in the English top tier (stats via whoscored).
The experienced frontman needs more playing minutes if he wants to get his confidence back, so maybe penning a new deal could motivate him to do well and get Newcastle out of relegation trouble in the final few weeks of this Premier League campaign.
What Are The Ex-Crystal Palace Striker’s Best Attributes?
Gayle is a decent finisher in the final third which makes him a good option for Steve Bruce to use off the bench. However, he has been starved of too many clear-cut chances this season which hasn’t done his confidence any good.
The English marksman does not mind putting in a tireless shift for the benefit of his side. Plus, he can maintain possession in tight spaces and usually keeps one of the opposition centre-backs occupied with his presence throughout the 90 minutes. However, at 31, father time is catching up with his game and frequent injuries have also made life difficult for Gayle in recent times.
Gayle Pens New Three-Year Contract: Wise Move By Newcastle?
With the English forward’s future sorted, the Magpies will expect him to continue being a decent squad player for them in the coming seasons. It seems like a wise move by Bruce as Gayle is good enough to serve as a rotational piece for the Tyneside giants and could even steer them towards securing their Premier League lives for at least another year.
