Today brought news that three former first-team players were told to train with the Under 23’s suggesting that their time may finally be up at St James’ Park.
It’ll not come as a shock to anyone to learn that the aforementioned trio is comprised of Dwight Gayle, Ciaran Clark and Jeff Hendrick. Many fans expected those players to be moved on this summer and now being told to train with the reserves, it seems that Howe is ready to wield the axe.
Dwight Gayle is on extortionate wages for a player who has played four games in the last two seasons, and as a result, will have to take a huge pay cut to move on as it’s extremely likely he will also have to step down to the Championship to find a club. At 32, Gayle is in the twilight years of his career, he’s never really proven himself at the Premier League level, however, he has often proved himself to be deadly in the Championship.
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Ciaran Clark was dropped from the 25-man squad in January following an embarrassing red card against Norwich and then another in a friendly whilst on the Saudi training camp. His appearances leading up to those errors had also raised questions over his future at the club, but the red card was definitely the final nail in his coffin.
Jeff Hendrick, the man who should never have even pulled on a Newcastle shirt is finally set to be moved out on a permanent basis after spending the second half of last season on loan at QPR. Reading seem to be the only club with an interest in Hendrick.
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