Newcastle United will NOT cash in on fringe player in January – report

Gayle is closing in a first-team return for United but has missed much of the last 18 months with a variety of injuries.

And despite his lack of games, and the fact he can leave for nothing in the summer, Steve Bruce is reportedly keen to hang on to the 30-year-old to boost his goalscoring ranks in the second half of the season.

And according to Football Insider, not only do United not want to lose the player for a knockdown fee in the winter window, they are also prepared to offer the player a new deal to protect him as a saleable asset. Gayle was valued in the £20 million bracket 18 months ago by Newcastle United.

United face a conundrum with Gayle, given the player’s current wage status.

The striker got a pay rise as part of the deal which loan swapped himself and Salomon Rondon with West Brom back in 2018.

The increased cash incentive was to persuade Gayle to drop back out of the Premier League, as he did when he signed for the Magpies – which is something the player was not keen to do. In increasing his basic wage, United have effectively priced Gayle out of a move to many second tier sides, with the player understood to be earning between £50,000 and £60,000-per-week.