RAFA BENITEZ will make a fresh attempt to convince Mike Ashley to spend some money to keep Newcastle United in the Premier League – despite being told he can strike three loan signings.

Benitez has instructed managing director Lee Charnley to broker the temporary deals for players, with Chelsea’s Kenedy still wanted, despite the deal hitting problems, as well as a keeper being a priority.

But the Newcastle manager, whose side face leaders Manchester City this Saturday, feels he should have money to spend – and hopes Ashley softens his stance after the collapse of talks with Amanda Staveley’s PCP Capital Partners.

Ashley has called a halt to the negotiations with Staveley, which he described as a “complete waste of time”, after a failure to reach an agreement after months of discussions.

Even though the Staveley camp are suggesting a £250m offer placed in November remains on the table, Ashley is unwilling to do business even though the club remains on the market for prospective buyers.

There is alternative interest from abroad but nothing was as advanced as Staveley’s attempts, so Newcastle are effectively back to the drawing board in terms of finding a buyer.

Ashley has let it be known he will only enter negotiations if an interested party is willing to express serious intent and if they can prove the finances are in place to do a deal; after being left disappointed by a Staveley offer that included clauses.

Having failed to complete a sale before Christmas, like he had wished, Ashley has 13 days remaining of the transfer window to try to ease Benitez’s frustrations and deliver some new signings to protect his investment and ensure Newcastle stay in the Premier League.

The Newcastle boss has made no secret of his demands to strengthen his squad this month and Ashley is completely aware of the situation. Supporters fear Benitez will walk – like Kevin Keegan did a decade ago - if he doesn’t get the support on the transfer front he craves.

That is why Benitez is asking for more financial muscle in the transfer market, on top of the three loan signings he has been told he can make.

An option to help would be to sell off a couple of his players, with Dwight Gayle and Jonjo Shelvey two of the more saleable assets attracting interest. Aleksandar Mitrovic and Chancel Mbemba can move on if the right bids come along.

Fulham are to make a fresh approach for Gayle after spending last summer trying to sign him; intriguingly the Cottagers’ long-term Benitez target, Tom Cairney, could be sold this month for £20m, raising the possibility of a swap deal.

Shelvey is wanted by West Ham and that could also play a part in Newcastle’s thinking should they make any progress on a deal for Cairney, with West Brom also in the market for him after making an offer of around £15m.

French midfielder Henri Saivet is wanted by Montpellier, with reports suggesting he could join on loan ahead of a £4m switch in the summer.

Newcastle have confirmed, meanwhile, that Mitrovic is training again after a back problem.