NEWCASTLE UNITED will target an attacking midfielder and a winger next month as Rafael Benitez attempts to ensure his side complete their promotion push in the second half of the season.

The Magpies will discover Jonjo Shelvey’s disciplinary fate later today, with the midfielder having attended a Football Association hearing in Birmingham yesterday.

But whatever happens with Shelvey, who faces a potential five-match ban if he is found guilty of an aggravated case of abusive behaviour relating to an incident in September’s game with Wolves, there is a desire to reinforce in a couple of strategic areas when the transfer window reopens.

Benitez’s main priority is the purchase of another winger, with Newcastle’s recruitment team feeling they were left slightly light in the wide areas when Moussa Sissoko left to join Tottenham on deadline day in August.

The Magpies had lined up a move for Brentford’s Alan Judge, who scored 14 goals last season as he was named in the PFA’s Championship Team of the Year.

However, with Judge recovering from a broken leg, Newcastle opted to put a move on hold until January in order to give the Republic of Ireland international an opportunity to prove his fitness.

Unfortunately, Judge remains on the sidelines, having failed to make a single senior appearance this season, and while the fact he is about to enter the final six months of his contract means Newcastle would only have to pay a minimal fee to acquire his services, Benitez has opted to end his interest.

The Spaniard will be looking elsewhere as he looks to provide some increased competition to Matt Ritchie, Yoan Gouffran and Christian Atsu, who have filled Newcastle’s wide positions throughout the majority of the season, with West Brom’s Callum McManaman a potential target after the Magpies made a number of inquiries about his availability in the summer.

Ideally, Benitez would also like to sign a central midfielder next month, with neither Mo Diame nor Ayoze Perez having totally convinced in the ‘number ten’ role this season.

Benitez would like a more creative midfielder for the second half of the current campaign, but will only be targeting players capable of handling the step up to the top-flight if Newcastle win promotion this season.

Both he and managing director, Lee Charnley, regard next month’s transfer window as an early opportunity to strengthen ahead of a potential return to the top-flight, although it could be difficult to persuade players with the requisite talent to spend the next six months playing in the Championship.

Newcastle’s next five games could see them having to cope without the services of Shelvey if the FA rule against the midfielder later today.

Shelvey has been accused of using abusive or insulting words to Wolves midfielder Romain Saiss, with the FA alleging the offence was an “aggravated breach” because it involved a reference to ethnic origin, race or nationality.

The England international has pleaded not guilty to the offence, and yesterday’s hearing in Birmingham provided him with an opportunity to state his case.

Saiss is understood to have witnesses who back up his own version of events, although the situation is complicated by the Moroccan midfielder’s limited grasp of English.

If Shelvey is found guilty, he could miss Newcastle’s league games against Sheffield Wednesday, Nottingham Forest, Blackburn and Brentford, as well as the FA Cup third-round tie at Birmingham.

That would represent a significant blow, although Benitez continues to hope the FA hearing will rule in Shelvey’s favour.

“Hopefully, everything will be okay,” said the Newcastle manager at the weekend. “If you could see him (when he is at the club), he has got a lot of friends around him. Hopefully, the situation will be fine and we can carry on playing football – that is what he has to do.”

Meanwhile, Siem de Jong has outlined his desire to return to Newcastle, only to suffer yet another injury problem during his loan spell at PSV Eindhoven.

De Jong, who is on a season-long loan back in the Eredivisie, scored PSV’s late leveller against Ajax at the weekend, but post-match scans revealed an injury to his groin.

The Dutchman suffered a succession of injury problems during his time on Tyneside, but remains committed to Newcastle and is hoping he can re-join a club preparing for the Premier League next summer.

“I would definitely like to succeed at Newcastle United,” said de Jong. “It would be a nice scenario that they are promoted first, and then I return to play in the Premier League.”