RAFAEL BENITEZ is concerned by Newcastle United’s lack of creativity in the final third and has identified Sheffield Wednesday’s playmaker Fernando Forestieri to improve things.

But Benitez – who has already failed to persuade Brighton to sell Anthony Knockaert - has been warned to forget doing a deal smoothly and quickly for the Italian, and the player refused to play for the Owls against Norwich City on Saturday.

Forestieri is aware of interest from both Newcastle and Derby County, who have already had a £7m offer rejected, and has had his head turned.

However, the 26-year-old is under contract at Hillsborough for a further three years and Sheffield Wednesday manager Carlos Carvahal has no intention of selling to a promotion rival.

Wednesday are among the favourites to go up this season and Forestieri is a huge part of the promotion push under Carvahal, so it could take an offer of more than £10m to tempt the South Yorkshire club.

Carvahal said: “It is obviously very disappointing and now we will open up the usual process when something like this happens. It is not a problem for me because Fernando is under contract at this club and the chairman has said he will not be selling anyone.

“He is our player and will not be sold. If this happens again it will be the same situation.”

Forestieri had been talked into playing in Sheffield Wednesday’s opening fixture of the season against Aston Villa having initially asked not to play in that either because of the interest.

Newcastle are in desperate need of a player with his creative flair on the evidence of the first two matches, which have seen them lose to both Fulham and Huddersfield Town.

The Terriers stunned a sell-out St James’ Park in the first home game of the season on Tyneside by taking the lead twice and holding onto it the second time.

Benitez said: "We have to keep looking for players that can help the team to grow and make us better for the rest of the season.

"It's true that we didn't have too many clear chances. I was concerned about that, even though we improved in the second half when we were going to wide areas and we were trying to do something, but still it was not enough.

“We have to improve in defence because we are making mistakes, we have to improve in the middle and move the ball quicker, and we have to improve in the final third because we were not precise. We didn't have enough good movement and the right patterns to our play. We didn't do what we've been doing in training sessions during the game.”

Improving his options in an attacking sense is a priority, although Moussa Sissoko could yet spend this season playing for Newcastle.

The France international has repeatedly spoken of his desire to leave and play for a Champions League club – or at least a team capable of qualifying for that next season – but Newcastle will not budge on their £35m valuation. That has put the of likes Real Madrid off.

He could now figure against Reading on Wednesday or at Bristol City on Saturday. Benitez said: “We have to be sure he's training well and is ready. If someone comes with the right offer, fine."

Benitez, still hoping to seal a season-long loan deal for Everton's Brendan Galloway, made four changes to the team for the visit of Huddersfield but that was still not enough to get Newcastle up and running in the Championship. After losing to Huddersfield, though, the Newcastle boss admits he could have to mix things up again when Reading visit Tyneside.

He said: "The players have to realise that we have to compete. We have a big squad and we have to compete and be ready for a very demanding competition, with two games a week.

“We train in a way that everyone knows what they have to do, so it's a lot easier to change players. Against Huddersfield we were thinking about having better control on the ball, having more possession - we had this, but still it was not enough. So if we have to make changes, we will make changes."