Stoke City have earmarked Newcastle United striker Dwight Gayle to lead their immediate promotion back to the Premier League.

The Potters will be playing Championship football next season, due largely to their inadequacies in front of goal this term.

And according to the Stoke Sentinel, the Staffordshire club plan to fix this problem by luring Gayle from St. James' Park.

Gayle, who has been used sporadically by Rafa Benitez this season, is a proven goalscorer in the second-flight, having lead the Magpies' promotion push in the last campaign.