Everton boss Rafa Benitez admits he was keen on Demarai Gray when he was in charge of Newcastle United.

His foresight has been Everton's gain as Gray has made a flying start on his return to the Premier League, scoring three goals in four matches since moving to Goodison Park from Bayer Leverkusen in a reported £1.7million deal.

“When I was at Newcastle we played against Leicester and he did really well," said Benitez.

“Since then we were following him and I was in contact with his agent asking about how he was doing. I also sent the boy a message when he was in Germany asking how he was getting on and how was he adapting to the style of life in Germany?

“So I had communication and was following him and I told my staff to keep an eye on him because we knew he has the potential.

“It's just a question of giving him confidence, having the right team-mates around him and the right environment with the fans, who appreciate what he is doing. All of these things together help him to do well.

“It's easier for us to support him because he is continuing to work hard and score goals, but overall he is doing what everyone was expecting – making the difference with his quality."