Former Newcastle United boss Rafa Benitez advised Yoan Gouffran to look for a new club - only to change his mind weeks later.
That's according to the former Magpies' forward, who admits the ex-Liverpool and Real Madrid boss became his favourite manager from his four-year spell on Tyneside.
Gouffran had almost been frozen out of the first-team under Steve McClaren in the disastrous 2015/16 campaign which led to United's relegation.
The forward was injured when Benitez arrived in March 2016, and was unable to play any part in the unsuccessful late effort to beat the drop.
Gouffran was one of several players expected to leave United as Benitez looked to assemble a squad to return to the Premier League at the first time of asking.
The Magpies' boss advised the former France under-21 international in pre-season to start searching for a new club - a decision Gouffran respected.
But after United's opening Championship fixtures, Benitez seemingly had a change of heart and told the forward he wanted him to stay.
Gouffran told ChronicleLive: "I started to think about leaving the club, and in pre-season Rafa said to me maybe this is better for everybody if you leave.
"He was honest with me, that's what I liked in Rafa. I said to him to give me some days to find a new club, no problem and good luck.
"The season started and we had some bad results again. I was training hard to leave the club, but Rafa came back to me and said I need you.
"I was happy to hear that and I gave everything for him."
Gouffran went on to bag seven goals in 36 appearances as United pipped Brighton to the Championship title on the final day of the season.
The forward moved on at the end of the season - turning down the Magpies' offer of a one-year deal to sign with Turkish outfit Goztepe - but left St James' Park on a high having resurrected his black-and-white career.
The standout highlight from Gouffran's campaign was undoubtedly the spectacular volley in the victory at Derby County.
Gouffran added: "We had some good memories in the Championship, and the volley was one of them. But we never worked on it!
"This celebration was to Jamaal [Lascelles] because we were working in the gym all the time, and I wanted to show him my power!”
