Newcastle United’s bold free transfer decision on 144-goal striker has been quickly justified

The 32-year-old still had two-years remaining on his contract at St James’s Park but the club were keen to offload the player and free-up space in Eddie Howe’s squad.

A host of Championship clubs were interested in Gayle’s services given he had scored 47 goals in his last 60 starts in the second tier for Newcastle United and West Bromwich Albion on loan.

But wages were a stumbling block for many clubs as it became clear Newcastle would either have to heavily subsidise wages to push through a loan deal or write off any transfer fee regarding a permanent move.

At that point, Stoke swooped in to complete a free transfer for Gayle – who hadn’t started a single game under Howe and hadn’t scored a competitive goal since December 2020.

And eight games into the 2022-23 season at Stoke City, that goal drought still stands. Gayle has failed to score in any of his opening seven Championship appearances for The Potters as well as the Carabao Cup defeat to Morecambe last month.

A minor ankle injury prevented him playing in the 2-1 defeat to Reading last time out but he is expected to be back in contention for the trip to Hull City on Tuesday (7:45pm kick-off).

Gayle’s slow start to life at the Bet365 Stadium vindicates Newcastle’s decision to allow him to leave on a free, opposed to trying to loan him out again only to be in the same position next summer.

Loaning out Gayle would have brought considerable risks if he were to flop in the Championship.

They’d be left with a 33-year-old with one-year remaining on his contract on wages far beyond what many second-tier clubs would be willing to pay. And there would be far fewer suitors.

Instead, they have rid themselves of that potential problem by making a small financial sacrifice and allowing the player to leave permanently for nothing.

That has brought greater freedom in terms of the squad and wage budget moving forward.

Although Gayle will be appreciated for his services to Newcastle, his departure and subsequent ‘replacement’ in £60million record signing Alexander Isak represents the club breaking free from another shackle of Mike Ashley’s 14-year tenure.