Sources: Birmingham City, Huddersfield Town and Millwall in five-club race to sign Dwight Gayle

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Published on:

19 Jul 2022, 5:35 am

Birmingham, Huddersfield, Preston, Reading and Millwall are in a five-club race to sign Newcastle United striker Dwight Gayle, sources have told Football Insider.

Eddie Howe has given the green light to the 32-year-old leaving this summer after demoting him to train with the club's Under-23s side.

Birmingham, Huddersfield, Preston, Reading and Millwall have all registered their interest in Gayle as they all look to sign a proven striker before the window shuts.

Meanwhile, Football Insider revealed earlier this month (11 July) that Middlesbrough have cooled their interest in signing the experienced hitman with club chairman Steve Gibson reluctant to sanction a deal.

Gayle failed to start a single league game during the 2021-22 season – a campaign which saw a big-money Saudi takeover of the Tyneside club.

His contract at St James' Park runs until June 2024.

Ciaran Clark and Jeff Hendrick were also demoted to the Under-23 set-up at Newcastle at the start of the summer - but have both now secured their own Championship moves.

Gayle’s impressive record in the second tier means second-tier sides are queueing up to sign the former Crystal Palace star ahead of the new campaign.

He has notched 59 goals and 16 assists across 100 Championship appearances and earned promotion with Newcastle in 2017.

The London-born ace's last Championship loan saw him net 23 goals in 39 outings as West Brom finished fourth.

Huddersfield fell in the play-off final last season and will look to Gayle as they aim to go one step further this term in their quest for Premier League football.

Meanwhile, relegation candidates Birmingham and Reading are targeting the veteran as they look to avoid the drop in 2022-23.

In other news, finance guru backs Newcastle to seal more American moves after Darren Eales reveal.

Newcastle United