NEWCASTLE UNITED’S players are looking forward to Thursday morning when Rafael Benitez’s squad will have been finalised for the Championship promotion charge, with Chelsea winger Christian Atsu and West Brom's Callum McManaman in line for St James’ Park moves.

Atsu is understood to be close to finalising a move from Stamford Bridge on a season-long loan, and there are plans for it to become permanent at the end of it.

The 24-year-old Ghanaian has had previous loan stints with Vitesse Arnhem, Everton, Bournemouth and Malaga since arriving from Porto on a five-year deal and he is now looking for greater security having failed to force his way into Chelsea’s plans over the last few years.

Benitez has moved for him in a bid to bring greater balance to the Newcastle team, having already fielded Vurnon Anita and Yoan Gouffran – who has entered the final year of his deal – on the flank. Atsu can also play centrally.

It has also emerged that Newcastle are targeting £4.7m McManaman too, although sources are ruling a move for £20m rated Everton midfielder James McCarthy.

Cheik Tiote has been discussing a move to Galatasaray after being offered a €2.5m deal for three years in Istanbul, but it has been suggested he has failed a medical. Striker Emmanuel Riviere is edging towards moving to Osasuna.

Interest in Moussa Sissoko remains high but if he is to leave before the transfer deadline then Newcastle may have to reduce their £35m asking price for the Frenchman, who is on international duty for a friendly with Italy.

Newcastle midfielder Mohamed Diame, one of many summer signings, will be relieved when all of the uncertainty has disappeared so that the players can crack on with delivering the promotion goal.

Diame said: “It was important to finish this month well and beat Brighton. It’s not always easy when you’ve got some players wanting to leave and others wanting to stay. Once the month is finished we can focus on the same thing.

“Everything is focused on achieving our target. We have a massive manager, massive fans. We’ve got options, we just need to work hard and make sure we do our jobs.”

Newcastle’s run of four wins, three in the league, has given everyone a lift after starting the campaign with back-to-back defeats.

To have beaten Brighton, who narrowly missed out on automatic promotion last season, was a further indication that Newcastle’s players are adjusting to life in the Championship under Benitez.

Diame said: “When you start a season you’re still thinking about last season and maybe the mood is still about the games we lost last season, but the team is feeling better now and working hard.

“It was important to finish this month well. We will know who is going to leave and the squad will be focused on the same target.

“Brighton are always a team who like to get on the ball and dictate the game but we dictated. We showed that we were at home with the fans pushing us all the team. It was a good performance and we have to keep going and build on it.”

Diame will not be in the North-East this week after being called up to the Senegal squad for the Africa Cup of Nations qualifier with Namibia on Monday – and he is satisfied with the mood of the Newcastle camp going into the break.

The £4.5m buy from Hull said: “It’s important to win the game just before the international break to be mentally better.

“I’m just focused on the next game and when I get back I’ll try to be focused on Newcastle’s next game as soon as possible to make sure we prepare well for it.

“It won’t be like a new start when we come together again after the international break because we need to build on what we’ve done so far this season but it will be a lot easier to work knowing we are all going the same way, all together.”