Botman has made a big impact since joining Newcastle in the summer and the club have not lost a game where he has started this season.
But the Magpies wanted him earlier, in the last winter transfer window, and pushed hard to snare him away from Lille.
The Dutchman was also keen but Lille did not want to lose a player of his importance while they were in the Champions League in the middle of the season.
Gourvennec, who was then the Lille coach, conceded that Botman was in two minds and it was a difficult time for him.
But the then-Lille coach managed to convince him to stay and admitted that once he decided to stay, he never had any problems from the defender’s end.
“He was very emotional and he didn’t know what to think”, Gourvennec told The Athletic.
“We didn’t want to let him go because he was so important to us, but he knew how big Newcastle could be.
“For a week, it was very difficult for him.
“We kept talking over a few days and I said: ‘We’re still in the Champions League and you can gain vital experience here. If you have the opportunity in January with Newcastle, you will have the opportunity in June’.
“Quickly, he realised that was the only way.
“As a coach, you never have problems with Sven because, if there is something wrong in his mind, he comes to speak with you, to ask you to explain so he understands.
“Once he understood, he never lost focus.”
Botman has been hailed as one of the success stories for Newcastle and the club are looking to grow with him at the heart of their defence in the coming years.
