Kevin Phillips moots West Brom swoop to re-sign Dwight Gayle in January
We’re delighted to welcome former West Brom striker Kevin Phillips as our exclusive columnist. Each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points at The Hawthorns…
Kevin Phillips has name-dropped Dwight Gayle when suggesting who West Brom should try to sign in the January transfer window.
Valerien Ismael’s men are struggling for goals lately with the Baggies failing to score in their last three Championship outings.
Jordan Hugill has been massively struggling in front of goal while Karlan Grant’s hot streak ended almost a month ago.
With the January transfer window opening in a month’s time, Phillips has suggested that Ismael needs to sign a proven goalscorer and has mooted the idea of Newcastle’s Gayle, 32, returning to The Hawthorns.
Speaking to West Brom News, Phillips said: “Hugill is the kind of striker you want to play off and build off, he creates opportunities and isn’t necessarily an out-and-out goalscorer.
“I think the kind of player they need is someone who can create something out of nothing, someone who can drop their shoulder, get half a yard, have a shot and score.
“Matt Phillips is a bit like that but they need someone who’s a proven goalscorer that can give you that hard a yard and all that he thinks about in that penalty box is scoring.
“ I don’t necessarily get the feeling that’s what Hugill’s like, he’s more like someone who tries to set others up but that’s something they need to look into in January.
“I mentioned Dwight Gayle at the beginning of the season and I had a couple of comments saying they wouldn’t like him back but he’s the type of player who’s just a goalscorer. Give him half a chance and he’ll score.
“Someone of that ilk that just wants to score goals, maybe that’s the type of player West Brom are lacking.”
Gayle has played just four times for Newcastle in all competitions this season and hasn’t scored. All of his three Premier League appearances for the Saudi-owned club have been as a substitute.
The ex-Crystal Palace striker spent the 2018/19 season on loan with West Brom in the Championship and scored 24 goals in 41 total matches.
In other West Brom news, Phillips is baffled by this “farcical” announcement about a Baggies player.
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