JONAS GUTIERREZ must start the last seven games to trigger a new contract clause in his Newcastle United contract, with head coach John Carver insisting he is not thinking about new deals.

Gutierrez started his first game in a Magpies shirt since August 2013 when he faced Sunderland at the Stadium of Light last Sunday and he was arguably the best performer on the team.

Sources close to the 31-year-old, who has battled his way back to fitness after recovering from testicular cancer, now claim that he must stay in the side for all of the remaining matches if he is to be automatically handed a new deal.

Such a scenario would seem unlikely given how he is set to become a free agent in the summer and Newcastle are exploring ways of making a number of changes to the squad.

Head coach Carver, who does not know whether he will still be in charge beyond this season himself, said: "I've got to be honest, I genuinely don't know about anybody's contracts.

“All I've been doing is working on the team and trying to put the best 11 players on the pitch that I can. I'm unaware of it (the clause).

"But I will be picking the team between now and the end of the season with that not in my mind, because I don't know what people earn and what their contracts are.

"I pick a team on what I think will be the best team on the pitch. Sometimes you can get distracted. I don't know anybody's salaries - nothing. I like it that way as I make my judgement on the week at the training ground.”

Gutierrez fell out with former manager Alan Pardew for the way his illness was handled, but he has enjoyed an emotional return to action under Carver. There are, though, no certainties about a new deal being offered, if he fails to start the remaining games.

He said: "Listen, everybody's playing for their future. There have been no discussions (about contracts).

"The discussions have been about the need to bring in players - we know that. I haven't gone into any discussions with regard to this group of players, because we have seven games left.”

But just to have Gutierrez – who hopes to keep his place at Liverpool on Monday night - back involved on the first team stage has been nice for Carver.

The head coach, whose initial term as head coach expires next month, said: “What I will say is the fact that he's come back from what he's come back from is outstanding.

"Everybody's delighted with how he's come back in and how he's progressed. He's fought and worked hard and done all the right things.

“I don't think he ever thought he'd be playing as soon as he has done. I don't even think he thought he'd play again when you have an illness like Jonas had. It must have been a proud moment for him, and for us as well it was great to see him back on.”

While Gutierrez is enjoying being back in the Premier League spotlight, his fellow Argentine Facundo Ferreyra looks destined to end the whole season without making a first team appearance.

The 24-year-old arrived on loan from Shakhtar Donetsk last August but has not featured in a single game because of injuries and other settling in problems.

Carver said: “We asked him to play in a reserve game on Tuesday night against Middlesbrough, and he wasn't ready for that, so no he’s not close.

"I think he's been back with us now for three weeks. He's had a back problem and an injection in his disc.

"I felt he was ready for it, but you have to trust the player. I asked the player and he said he wasn't ready. There's a game next week against Derby, and I'll ask the same question to see if he's ready for it.”