RAFAEL BENITEZ has been told Middlesbrough have no intention of selling Spanish defender Daniel Ayala after Newcastle United turned the focus to strengthening the defence.

Ayala, rated in the £15m bracket on Teesside, was one of the Championship’s best defenders last season and his performances for Boro have caught the eye of a number of top-flight clubs.

Benitez, who signed his compatriot during his time in charge of Liverpool in 2007, has identified Ayala as one of the ideal players to lead a promotion charge next season.

Queens Park Rangers’ Steven Caulker, who spent part of last season on loan at Liverpool, is another high in the thinking, with the Newcastle boss on the look-out for defenders boasting experience of the second tier.

It is the same approach he has used to successfully target Bournemouth’s Matt Ritchie and Crystal Palace’s Dwight Gayle, but persuading Middlesbrough to part with Ayala will be more problematic.

Aitor Karanka, the Middlesbrough head coach, knows how important Ayala will be as he looks to make the team a force to be reckoned with in the Premier League next season.

And Ayala, who did have a disagreement with his boss last season over a fitness issue, is also happy at the Riverside Stadium and settled, so it would be difficult for Newcastle to prise him away.

Caulker would be a much easier deal to do, with QPR keen to offload his £30,000-a-week wages ahead of another season outside the Premier League.

Newcastle, armed with parachute payments and the prospect of substantial savings by selling the likes of Moussa Sissoko and Georginio Wijnaldum, would not have a problem in matching the former England Under-21 international’s pay demands.

Benitez is also in the market to sign Spanish defender Alvaro Arbeloa, who he had at Liverpool. Arbeloa is a free agent and interested in taking on the challenge of taking Newcastle back up.

Steven Taylor’s departure at the end of his contract is likely to be followed by Fabricio Coloccini, who is in talks with San Lorenzo, leaving so there are a couple of holes to fill in the squad with defenders.

Whoever comes in will be competing with Chancel Mbemba and Jamaal Lascelles to play at the heart of the defence next season, with the latter looking forward to a full campaign under Benitez.

Lascelles said: “I was over the moon about Benitez, honestly. It was such a breath of fresh air that he was staying, I think that was the same for everyone as well, especially the fans and also the staff.

“What he did towards the end of the season was unbelievable, it’s just a shame we couldn’t do it properly.

“But I’m really pleased that he’s here and this time we’ve got a full season with him so who knows what we can do?”