FanView: Why £18m for Dwight Gayle Is an Absolute No-Brainer for Newcastle

£18m might not be up there with some of the biggest transfers of this window - and maybe that's why this switch has gone under the radar almost - but my God, that's a lot of money, and Newcastle should be chomping at the bit to get their hands on that cash for Dwight Gayle!

Let's put that in perspective. We bought the lad for £10m back in 2016. We knew then that he was a Championship player back then, and that's exactly why we bought him. To get us out the Championship and back to the top-flight. And he did his job to perfection.

He put away 23 goals in 32 games for the mighty toon last season and with the way the league finished, without him we surely wouldn't have won the league, and maybe not even got automatic promotion.

And for that, we'll always be thankful. But come on, £18m?! That'll buy you nearly 10 million Gregg's Steak Bake's, and if that's not a deal maker I don't know what is. 

£18m is an incredible amount for a Championship player, and it's no surprise that the main suiters are Leeds and Fulham, with the latter having apparently agreed a deal. 

But, there's a problem. The transfer window slams shut on Thursday in it's usual yellow tie and car park reporters style, and with it coinciding with the international break again, it could be difficult for Rafa Benitez to get a replacement in.

He has his contacts, but even so, to begin and close a deal for a striker in 24 hours, and with most players away on international duty getting a medical done could be a logistical nightmare.

Divock Origi is one target, but Rafa will have to beat off Tottenham, Marseille and Inter Milan among others to get his signature, but him up front with Christian Atsu flying in behind him makes me unbelievably happy.

So far there's nothing else on the cards, apart from a one-time rejected bid for Danny Ings and some Icelandic striker who has broken more English hearts than when 'wor Cheryl' got married to Ashley Cole. Let's hope Rafa can pull something out of the hat. Have faith.