Former West Brom loan star and recent transfer target Dwight Gayle is edging towards the exit door at Newcastle United this month after The Athletic provided a significant update over his current situation.
What's the word?
The Baggies have held an interest in Gayle since the summer when manager Slaven Bilic opted for Charlie Austin due to the finances on the table.
And per this latest update, that temptation still remains with Leeds United and Nottingham Forest also keen.
Chris Waugh claims that Gayle simply does not fit Steve Bruce's system and his desire for more regular game time makes him seem likely to leave St James' Park during this transfer window.
He also says: "A loan may prove to be a stop-gap solution, although Gayle would prefer a permanent transfer." However, there is scepticism over who could actually afford him as he sits on £50k-a-week wages and would command a £15m fee.
Should they push for him?
There's no denying that pretty much everyone at the Hawthorns would love to see the return of the 24-goal forward this month, but the broader picture suggests this would be a pretty dire financial deal for the club.
Albion couldn't afford his enormous wages in the offseason, so the fact it's only January makes no difference, and they certainly shouldn't bank on promotion as a reason for being able to afford him as that could quickly come back to bite them if their form falters throughout the rest of the season.
If they want to sign him permanently, they'd have to cough up a seven-figure fee, and that's excluding his wages on top.
Bilic splashed out a combined £12m on both Kenneth Zohore and Charlie Austin this summer while they also have Hal Robson-Kanu still on the books. Between the three, they have scored 15 of the Baggies' 48 league goals this campaign, per WhoScored.
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West Brom should probably steer clear of this one.
While in other news, could a £2m-rated League One hotshot be a viable alternative to Matheus Pereira?