RAFAEL BENITEZ admits Newcastle United have to make signings in the final two weeks of the transfer window if they are to have any chance of being competitive in the Premier League next season.

Benitez watched his side continue their pre-season preparations with a 2-2 draw at Hull City last night, but events on the pitch are currently taking a back seat to the ongoing stand-off between the Magpies manager and the club’s owner, Mike Ashley.

Benitez is refusing to sign a new contract until Ashley confirms his ongoing ambition by making a series of meaningful investments in the transfer market, but with the window due to close on August 9, Newcastle have made just three signings this summer, two of whom spent the second half of last season on the club’s books.

The lack of transfer activity has sparked a fans’ protest under the banner, ‘If Rafa goes, we go’, and is causing understandable concern given the amount of money that is being spent by Newcastle’s top-flight rivals.

Everton yesterday completed the £40m signing of Brazilian forward Richarlison, and Benitez has warned another relegation battle is looming unless Newcastle make signings of their own in the next fortnight.

“Is the current squad good enough for what we need? I don’t think so,” said Benitez, who has put forward Fabian Schar and Salomon Rondon as two realistically-priced targets. “It needs additions, that is clear. It is clear what we have to do.

“There could be a new signing in time for Portugal (Newcastle leave on Friday), but then I was expecting things before. As I have said before, if we have new players coming it will be good, it will be better than nothing.

“As a manager, you would have liked to have seen these players one month ago, but if we can do something it will be better than nothing.”

When asked whether there was money available in the wake of Chancel Mbemba’s £6m move to Porto, Benitez pointedly replied: “Ask Lee Charnley”.

Tensions are clearly rising, and to make matters worse, Aleksandar Mitrovic’s proposed move to Fulham is now hanging in the balance with the Newcastle hierarchy unable to agree an acceptable fee with the Cottagers.

Newcastle have been holding out for £20m for the Serbia international, but Fulham are hoping to strike a deal for £16m and have been assessing alternative options in case the Magpies refuse to budge.

Mitrovic is due to return to Newcastle’s training ground this morning, and could yet be involved in the Portuguese trip that will feature matches against Porto and Braga.

“He has to come back,” said Benitez, who confirmed he has had no recent contact with Ashley. “He has to come back, and he is due to come back on Wednesday. We need to check on how he is, and then we will decide if he will go to Portugal. It is a day off for the rest of the squad (today), so we have some time to see how things are. Does he have a future? Tomorrow is the future for him.”

A number of senior players were missing from the squad that lined up at the KCOM Stadium last night, and while most of the absences were because of minor niggles, Benitez admits he is concerned by a knee injury sustained by Florian Lejeune.

“Some of the players have little problems, and Kenedy’s wife has had a baby so he has had some time off,” he said. “The only one that is a bit more serious could be Lejeune. He has a knee problem that we have to assess in the next couple of days.”

Last night’s starting line-up underlined the lack of progress in the transfer market, with Ki Sung-yueng, who made his first Magpies appearance as a 70th-minute substitute, the only new face on display.

Joselu started up front, hardly a scenario that will have supporters salivating if it is repeated for the opening Premier League game against Tottenham, but to his credit, the Spanish striker opened the scoring in the 14th minute.

Having beaten the offside trap as he raced on to Jonjo Shelvey’s flighted through ball, Joselu calmly slotted the ball past an out-of-position David Marshall.

Marshall kept out goal-bound free-kicks from both Shelvey and Matt Ritchie before the interval, and Hull defender Stephen Kingsley acrobatically cleared a Jacob Murphy header from the goalline, but a lack of defensive concentration at the other end enabled Hull to equalise four minutes before the break.

Evandro delivered a low cross from the right, and with a number of Newcastle defenders out of position, Todd Kane scuffed a low shot past Karl Darlow.

Darlow was replaced by Freddie Woodman at the interval, and the youngster was called into action within seven minutes of the restart to prevent Nouha Dicko from firing Hull into the lead.

However, he was powerless to prevent Newcastle falling behind shortly after the hour mark. Isaac Hayden, back in the fold despite submitting a transfer request for personal reasons, slid in to tackle Dicko in the area, but the ball broke invitingly for Evandro, who slotted home from ten yards.

Newcastle equalised with three minutes, with Ayoze Perez steering the ball home from close range after Ciaran Clark flicked Ritchie’s corner into his path.

Hull (4-4-2): Marshall; Lichaj, Burke, de Wijs, Kingsley; Kane, Henriksen, Batty, Milinkovic; Evandro (Sheaf 74), Dicko (Keane 66).

Subs (not used): Long (gk), Stewart, Campbell, Holmes, Hamilton, Fleming, Ritson, Curry, McKenzie, MacDonald.

Newcastle (4-2-3-1): Darlow (Woodman 46); Yedlin (Sterry 46), Lascelles (Clark 46), Yarney (Hayden 54), Roberts (Manquillo 46); Shelvey (Ki 70), Diame (Fernandez 61); Ritchie, Longstaff, Murphy (Aarons 46); Joselu (Perez 46).

Sub (not used): Dubravka (gk).