Nottingham Forest plot £15m Dwight Gayle swoop at 11th hour

Newcastle United striker Dwight Gayle could be set for a dramatic deadline day move to Nottingham Forest according to a new report.

The 29-year-old forward has reportedly been a target for Sabri Lamouchi’s men throughout the January transfer window, but it was assumed any deal was dead when he suffered another injury setback earlier in the month.

That appeared to be confirmed to the case when Forest turned their attention elsewhere in their striker search, signing Strasbourg forward Nuno Da Costa, to provide extra depth behind their in-form centre forward Lewis Grabban.

But in spite of all that, a sensational new report from the Daily Mail suggests that Forest, who are third in the Championship and two points off the automatic promotion positions, have not given up on signing the striker.

Their Newcastle correspondent Craig Hope suggests that they’re lodging a bid to sign the Magpies striker on loan with a £15m obligation to buy him in the event they get promoted.

Pulling that off on deadline would be a major statement of intent for Forest, getting in a striker that scored 24 goals during his loan with West Bromwich Albion last season and 23 goals in Newcastle’s promotion in the 2016-17 season.

However, there are conflicting reports about the potential of a deal, with The Athletic’s Nottingham Forest correspondent Paul Taylor suggesting there’s nothing to it.

“With Dwight, it will be the bog-standard one between four to six weeks,” said Bruce after Gayle’s latest injury, picked up against Wolves in mid-January.

“Not great news. It has been a huge disappointment, the whole thing has. He was injured in pre-season with a calf.

“Then because the team did quite well he spent time on the bench. It’s a blow – but it is what it is.”

“The rumours keep circulating that he is going to Notts Forest on loan. He is going nowhere.”