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Opinion

Yoan Gouffran to leave in January non-story

7 years ago
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A story appeared in the local press on Wednesday morning suggesting that Newcastle were in danger of losing Yoan Gouffran in January.

The basis of the story was that Lille and other Ligue 1 clubs are reportedly interested and the player could potentially be tempted away from St James Park.

Predictably, this transfer tale has then been repeated numerous times by other media organisations.

However, this is surely a total non-story.

From Newcastle United/Rafa Benitez’ point of view, they have a player who is doing a decent workmanlike job in the first team and has also thrown in a couple of excellent goals as a bonus.

So it would make absolutely no sense as to why Rafa would be willing to let him leave when Yoan Gouffran is currently a key part of the promotion effort, plus of course he is under contract and couldn’t force a move even if he wanted one.

As for Yoan Gouffran himself,  yes he is in the last year of his contract but he will be on better money than any interested Ligue 1 club would be willing to pay him. On top of that, if he sees his contract out and is a free agent, the winger/striker would then be in a much better position to get a better deal at a new club than if they were having to pay a transfer fee.

On the subject of a transfer fee, on Newcastle’s budget of transfers in and out this season, any fee for Yoan Gouffran would be negligible. When you consider NUFC bought somebody like 33 year old Daryl Murphy for £4m (£3m initial fee plus £1m bonus if Newcastle are promoted) as a reserve third or fourth striker who hasn’t even played yet in the Championship for United, it puts any small fee for Gouffran into perspective.

It is great that the player has revived under Rafa Benitez and shown he can do a job in the Championship, but turning 31 in May, I don’t think anybody seriously thinks that Yoan Gouffran would be seen as a Premier League player for Newcastle next season.

Instead, this season is simply a chance for the former Bordeaux player potentially finishing his Newcastle career on a real high, before departing in the summer.

It makes every bit of sense for both club and player to stay together until next summer and absolutely none for Newcastle United or Yoan Gouffran to part company in January.

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