Ever since the PIF takeover in 2021, Newcastle United are finally in a place where they can build a team that challenges for trophies, not assemble a squad for a pittance with the hopes of surviving in the Premier League for another year.
The acquisition of Alexander Isak was one of the Magpies’ first signings under the new regime which made the rest of the division stand up and take notice.
Under the previous ownership, managers were forced to sign cheap strikers who could do a job but were never good enough to challenge for major honours. The likes of Salomon Rondon and Emmanuel Riviere spring to mind. However, there is another former player who still plays in England but is having a torrid time this season.
How much Newcastle United signed Dwight Gayle for
Having had a solid three seasons with fellow top-flight outfit Crystal Palace, Newcastle United announced the signing of Dwight Gayle for £10m upon relegation to the Championship in 2016 when Rafa Benitez was in charge at St. James’ Park.
The striker bagged 25 goals in 74 appearances for the Eagles, including the equaliser in a thrilling 3-3 comeback to all but end Liverpool's title chances during the 2013/14 season on that famous night at Selhurst Park.
Gayle didn't set the world alight but did have a superb debut season as a Magpie, scoring 23 goals in the Championship in 32 games as Newcastle were promoted back to the Premier League at the first time of asking. This was the joint-best individual season of Gayle's career, alongside his 23-goal feat on loan at West Bromwich Albion in the 2018/19 campaign.
Unfortunately, the frontman scored merely 11 goals in 88 matches after Newcastle's 2016/17 title-winning season in the second tier, according to Transfermarkt.
Season – All Competitions
Minutes
Goals
2016/17
2,287
23
2017/18
2,173
6
2018/19 (on loan at West Brom)
0
0
2019/20
883
4
2020/21
543
1
2021/22
106
0
Stats via Transfermarkt.
Gayle played just ten minutes of first-team football for Eddie Howe during the 2021/22 campaign, but Howe admitted that the experienced striker was Newcastle's "best player in training" and "one of the best finishers" he'd ever worked with. Nevertheless, Gayle was allowed to leave for free at the end of Howe's first season in charge.
Dwight Gayle's stats this season
Gayle moved to Stoke City in the summer of 2022 on a two-year deal when Northern Ireland manager Michael O'Neill was in charge. The 33-year-old's time at the Bet365 Stadium hasn't gone as well as he'd have hoped, having scored merely three goals and recorded six assists in 48 appearances.
However, eight of Gayle's nine goal contributions came last term. This time around, the veteran has failed to score a single goal in 11 games for the Potters and has just one assist to his name which came in a 2-1 win over his former side West Brom in the EFL Cup.
When compared to all other strikers from leagues similar to the Championship over the past 365 days, Gayle's stats make for painful reading.
Per 90 Metric
Percentile Rank
Goals
13
Non-Penalty Goals
21
xG
27
Non-Penalty xG
44
Shots
18
Assists
39
Shots On Target
41
Stats via FBref.
FBref's percentile ranks weigh up how a player compares to all others in the same position in leagues of similar quality. Gayle ranks poorly in this regard and is well below the 50% mark in a number of key metrics in front of goal, especially goals and shots per 90.
Stoke City have had 14 different goalscorers this season in all competitions but not one has been Gayle. Andre Vidigal leads the club's top goalscoring charts with five goals as head coach Alex Neil is leaning heavily on the Portuguese forward to score. Newcastle United certainly parted ways with Gayle at the right time.
