Fulham to reignite chase for Newcastle United forward Dwight Gayle in January

Fulham will reignite their interest in Newcastle United forward Dwight Gayle in time for the January transfer window after failing to prise the 26-year-old away from the Magpies in the summer transfer market.

Gayle scored 23 goals last season as Rafa Benitez's side managed to achieve promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking. But despite his wondrous goalscoring form in the Championship, Newcastle were prepared to part with the former Crystal Palace star, who has never proven himself to be a consistent performer in England's top-flight.

Fulham missed out on a number of forward targets during the summer transfer window, namely Diego Rolan and Steve Mounie, who joined Huddersfield Town for £12m, but they did manage to sign strikers Rui Fonte and Aboubakar Kamara from Braga and Amiens respectively.

The west London outfit also signed forwards Sheyi Ojo, Jordan Graham and Lucas Piazon on season-long loan deals but were intent on bolstering their strikeforce with further additions and explored deals for both Gayle and Jota, who left Brentford for Birmingham City for around £6m.

Their club-record offer for Gayle was accepted, according to the Mirror, relayed by the Chronicle, but Newcastle eventually kept hold of the forward after failing to find an adequate replacement for the former Dagenham and Redbridge hitman with such little time of the window remaining.

Fulham are hoping for better luck in the winter transfer window and Newcastle will have plenty of time to find Gayle's successor if they do wish to part with the forward in January.

The north east outfit may use Fulham's interest in Gayle to try and finally prise midfielder Tom Cairney away from Craven Cottage, but Slavisa Jokanovic's men have no interest in losing their influential midfielder, who has been struggling with a niggling knee problem in recent months.

Newcastle have long been admirers of Cairney and reportedly had a £20m bid rejected for the Scotland international, who recently signed a new long-term contract in west London and was appointed club captain after his predecessor Scott Parker retired at the end of last season.