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Bad move Rafa – Newcastle’s decision to swap one PL flop for another doesn’t seem to be working

Why Newcastle have made a mistake by letting Dwight Gayle go

Newcastle United fans had a frustrating transfer window where their club didn’t bring the number of players that were needed to increase the depth of the squad. But one of the most frustrating things was the departure of striker Dwight Gayle on the transfer deadline day.

Dwight Gayle was loaned out to West Bromwich Albion and Salomon Rondon moved to the Tyneside on a season-long loan. (BBC)

Gayle scored 23 goals in 32 matches for Newcastle in the Championship in the 2016-17 season, where they won the title. However, the former Crystal Palace man scored only 6 times in the 6 Premier League last season. But Newcastle’s struggle in front of the goal wasn’t all his fault.

Joselu underperformed last season and with Mitrovic out on loan at Fulham, Benitez didn’t have any options on the bench.

Gayle
Dwight Gayle

This season, Newcastle signed Japanese striker Yoshinori Muto to make their forward line more potent. This was a perfect move considering the fact that Kenedy joined Newcastle on loan for the season – this leaves Rafa Benitez with a lot of options in the attack.

But this loan move for Rondon at the expense of Gayle doesn’t make too much sense. Rondon too had a dodgy record in the Premier League last season where he managed only 7 goals throughout the campaign.

On paper, he might seem like a direct replacement for Aleksander Mitrovic but Rondon isn’t clinical enough to lead the line for a Premier League team that dreams of finishing in top half of the table again.

Rondon came off the bench against Spurs in the opening fixture but didn’t feature against Cardiff City at all. He did start in the game against Chelsea but was quite ineffective and was subbed off at the hour mark for Joselu.

West Brom striker Rondon
Salomon Rondon

It is still the early part of the season but the Venezuelan international does not look like a regular starter under Rafa Benitez. Perhaps it was a transfer decision made too hastily by the Newcastle board.

Read More: Newcastle United could still pull off a miracle but only if Benitez works it out

On the other hand, Dwight Gayle scored in West Brom’s win over QPR in the Championship. This goal will give him the confidence to try and replicate the form he showed at Newcastle two years ago.

It would be a hard scene for the Newcastle faithful to see Gayle score in a striped shirt of West Brom and not Newcastle.

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