One of the real surprises of Newcastle’s drop down to the Championship has been Yoan Gouffran. The French winger was widely criticised as the Magpies slipped to relegation last term and has often been questioned by fans due to his flaky nature on the pitch, so in the hustle and bustle of the second tier, it was expected that he would find it hard to cope after a proposed move away from the club collapsed.

However, Rafa Benitez has welcomed him into his high-flying North East XI and has been rewarded, with the 30-year-old notching two goals and two assists in 13 Championship outings, while looking a far better all-round player.

His improved form has, according to the Northern Echo, attracted the interest of Lille, who are believed to be looking at a cut-price January move for the wide-man, whose contract expires at the end of the current campaign.

Although there remains the possibility of extending his contract, it looks likely that the 22-time France U-21 international will be on his way in the New Year, and we caught up with Nothing But Newcastle editor, Jonnie Gorrie, to get his verdict on why cashing in on Gouffran makes sense…

A Prem flop…

Gouffran’s Premier League spell at Newcastle was hardly a success. The Frenchman signed for the Magpies from Bordeaux in a cut-price deal during the winter window of the 2012/13 season and after making an initial impact over the latter half of his debut campaign before going on to net six league goals in his first full term in England, his performances slowly declined. Even at his peak, the now 30-year-old could drift in and out of games, but across both 2014/15 and 2015/16 he struggled to make any sort of impact as the Tynesiders battled against relegation.

Indeed, he made only two starts during the campaign the inevitable eventually happened, and Jonnie Gorrie thinks it could be more of the same if he does return to the top tier with Newcastle:

“As much as the Newcastle faithful would love to see 'The Gouff' continue his fairytale resurgence and make it back into the Premier League, he’s not quite up to the job.

“That's not to say the Frenchman is at all a bad player, but the notion of him starting in the Premier League as frequently as he does in the second tier is not exactly inspiring.

“He’s done a decent enough job at the level the club previously aimed for, but the 'Rafalution' simply demands more.”

Cash in before a free transfer

“Amazingly, Gouffran is yet to be on the losing side when he's been used by Benitez this season.

“Still, as excellent a stat as that is considering his standing in the squad, the ex-Bordeaux man is replaceable.

“Though he's certainly played his part in the recent run of good form, his exit mid-way through the season wouldn't really change all that much in the grand scheme of things.”

Jonnie Gorrie reflects the views of many Newcastle fans, with the general verdict being that losing him will make little difference. There are the caveats of a new contract remaining a possibility, but for where Newcastle want to be in terms of progression, there are doubts surrounding Gouffran’s ability to contribute. The fee they get will be minimal and there’s no desperate need for cash in January after a big summer of sales, but it makes business sense to sell.

Clear room for current stars to shine

Newcastle aren’t exactly short of options in attacking midfield and wide areas, so Gouffran’s potential exit, albeit he’s been in good form, may not be felt too strongly. Indeed, Rafa Benitez could opt for a two-man forward line or even lean on the likes of Christian Atsu or Rolando Aarons, according to Jonnie Gorrie:

“Christian Astu, Ayoze Perez, Matt Ritchie and Rolando Aarons provide adequate cover on the wings.

“The aforementioned cover in wide areas is enough for the Magpies throughout the course of what could well be a champagne campaign, though perhaps Aarons would be the youngest of the lot to benefit.

“Should he sort his injuries and personal problems out, the 20-year-old can have a big future on Tyneside.”