Alan Pardew launches £15m bid for long-term Benitez target - & it could have big implications for NUFC
According to the Guardian, West Brom's £15m bid for Fulham's Tom Cairney is being considered by Fulham - and the Championship club plan to spend that money on a move for Dwight Gayle if he were to be sold.
It was well documented throughout our Championship campaign and over the summer that Rafa Benitez was an admirer of Fulham's Tom Cairney, however a deal never materialised to bring him to NUFC - despite Slaviša Jokanović confirming that we offered £20m for the midfielder.
He's failed to hit the heights this season after getting into double figures for goals and assists last time out, and Alan Pardew looks set to take a chance on him at West Brom, with the Guardian's Ed Aarons stating that a £15m bid is under consideration.
https://twitter.com/ed_aarons/status/952988348540424192
It could mean the ex-NUFC boss gets him for £5m less than we almost paid over the summer, however his 1 goal and 2 assists so far this season have made a few wonder if he would have cut it in the Premier League should he have made the £20m switch to Tyneside.
What's perhaps most interesting in all of this is the suggestion that Fulham could use the Cairney money to go after Dwight Gayle.
They were linked with a £15m move for him on deadline day over the summer, and given his 23-goal haul last season, you can see why a Championship side would love to have him.
Right now, with just 3 goals to his name in the league and signs that he was severely lacking in confidence on Saturday, I imagine quite a few would cash in on Gayle at £15m IF a replacement was lined up..
