Sunderland’s Championship rivals Middlesbrough and Sheffield United ‘eye’ Newcastle United striker as Cats target set to leave club

Sheffield United and Middlesbrough are reportedly interested in Newcastle United striker Dwight Gayle.

Gayle is likely to leave St James’s Park this summer and has proven in the past to be a very big asset for promotion chasing clubs in the Championship.

Gayle notched 46 goals in his last two seasons in the second-tier with iNews reporting that Boro and the Blades see the 32 year-old as the ideal man to fire them towards promotion.

Gayle’s first goal for Crystal Palace came against Sunderland in August 2013 - a match that the Eagles ran-out 3-1 winners.

Elsewhere, reported Sunderland target Josh Murphy is set to leave Cardiff City and would be available to snap-up on a free transfer.

Murphy, who joined the Bluebirds a year after his twin brother Jacob joined Newcastle, has played just-shy of 200 Championship games and would add good experience to Alex Neil’s youthful squad.