REVITALISED Newcastle United forward Yoan Gouffran could have moved to Russia during the summer but manager Rafael Benitez admitted: “I’m delighted he has stayed around.”

Gouffran has already started more matches than he did throughout last season and he capped his fourth outing in the Championship by scoring a sensational opening goal in the 2-0 win at Derby County.

Newcastle’s four-match winning streak in the league, which has lifted them up to second, has coincided with the Frenchman finding himself back in the thick of things and Benitez could not be happier with him.

The 30-year-old has entered the final year of his contract and he would have moved on during the close-season had he accepted an offer from an unnamed Russian club who had agreed a fee with Newcastle for his services.

But Gouffran decided to stay and Benitez readily admits the former Bordeaux man could be a key player for him in the promotion push if he continues to play the way he is under him.

“Yes, he had offers. He had offers before but it was not exactly the right offer,” said Benitez. “You never know how close he was to leaving. In football, people say this and that but you have to actually see the documents.

“In the end we are happy. We were talking between ourselves, the staff, and we were pleased to keep him.

“He has always been a good professional. The atmosphere has been quite good, even for players who have not been playing.

“It has not been negative. We have had a very good atmosphere. Obviously the players involved are happier than the others but still the training ground was a place that everyone wanted to go, train hard and do well.”

Gouffran’s stunning volley in the 20th minute was his first since January 2015 but the manner of his overall displays have been impressive, working backwards and forwards to effectively help the team.

“Talking with him he was happy and I was also pleased to keep him,” said Benitez.

“Unless someone comes with a big, big offer for a 30-year-old with one year on his contract, then maybe he will say ‘OK, I have to go’.

“Then we’d have to say ‘Yes, you have to do it’. But during the last 15 days we were hoping they won’t come and it turned out like this and I’m really pleased because he’s playing well and he’s working hard. He’s a good example for the others – if you work hard you’ll have opportunities.”

Gouffran’s opener was followed up by a stoppage-time second at Derby from DeAndre Yedlin to help Newcastle climb up to second in the table, and defensively they look a really solid unit now.

Benitez, whose side travel to Queens Park Rangers tomorrow night, still believes there is plenty more to come from his players.

He said: “It’s not just the keepers, the defenders, but the midfielders, the strikers, everybody knows their role and they try to do that.

“But if we improve a little bit in some decisionswe will have more chances. Especially when we are away and the other team is high and leaves bigger space, this is the time we need to be a little bit better and kill the game.”

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