Lee Charnley sanctions new deal on 'reduced terms' - A smart move with sinister undertones?
The Athletic have revealed that Dwight Gayle has signed a new three year deal at the club.
The 31-year old is believed to have accepted an offer on “reduced terms”, with his wage packet previously rocketing the summer he reluctantly joined West Brom to facilitate a loan deal for Salomon Rondon.
Gayle was vital in securing promotion to the top flight under Rafa Benitez in 16/17 but has been a bit-part player ever since, starting just TWO Premier League games this season under Steve Bruce.
This latest move from Lee Charnley means we now have a prolific Championship striker if the worst happens and we drop down a division - a sinister thought but one that makes sense to cover our backs.
If we do stay up, then we still have a player who we can sell on - not lose for nothing this summer - and his wage demands won’t be as high as previously. Surely this is a win-win from our perspective.
That said, some Toon fans have taken to social media to vent their frustration at the news, calling it a sign that we have accepted relegation and are already preparing for life outside the Premier League.
Who knows if that will be true, but is it not better to make a contingency plan for our worst case scenario rather than car crash into a crisis in the summer?
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