RAFAEL BENITEZ is ready to lose Moussa Sissoko by the end of the transfer window after Newcastle United were hit with numerous calls and offers for the unsettled France international.

Interest in Sissoko is high, no club has yet matched his £35m valuation with just four days remaining of the transfer window.

The 26-year-old will not be involved in the Newcastle squad that faces Brighton today, with Benitez expecting fresh contact with one of the interested parties.

There have been a number of offers, with Real Madrid, Juventus, Inter Milan, Crystal Palace and Everton all understood to have been in touch.

And while Sissoko is thought to have a preference for Real Madrid, he may have to look to the Premier League if he is to get his wish of leaving the Championship behind.

Tottenham, who can also offer Champions League football, are believed to be preparing a bid, while West Brom’s early offer in the region of £15m was immediately dismissed by Newcastle. Liverpool have previously considered a move.

As things stand, the only way he will be leaving St James’ Park behind is if Newcastle’s money men decide to reduce the asking price as the August 31, 11pm, deadline edges closer.

Benitez, who wants to bring in two new wingers, said: "In the transfer window, you have an idea - then you have players, agents and clubs. We have had clubs asking about Sissoko. But the offers have not been good enough, and so he is still here.

“We don't know what will happen now, but if they come with the right offer, maybe we can say: 'Yes.'

"If it is not the right offer, then maybe he has to stay here. We will definitely not consider a loan deal. We have had some bids, but they have not been big enough.”

Benitez has maintained throughout the summer he will be more than happy to keep Sissoko in his squad to boost the promotion charge. He is known to have acted professionally on the training ground throughout the uncertainty.

“He is training well,” said Benitez. “We are dealing with him, we are managing him and he has been training well.”

After offloading Daryl Janmaat earlier this week to Watford in a £7m deal, goalkeeper Tim Krul followed him out by heading for Ajax on a season-long loan. Cheik Tiote is in talks with Greek clubs about a move, while Emmanuel Riviere is also up for grabs. Midfielder Gael Bigirimana has rejoined Coventry on a permanent deal.

Newcastle have added DeAndre Yedlin to the squad and hope to have international clearance for him to play following his £5m switch from Tottenham.

Benitez explained: "We knew that we needed a little more pace in the side. Yedlin could be a threat because of his pace. Also technically he is fine and anyway he will improve here.

"We know he is an offensive full-back, which Janmaat was, now we have someone with real pace and he can make the difference.”

This evening’s date with Brighton sees Chris Hughton, who led the promotion charge in 2009-10, return to St James’ Park and Newcastle know they should be in for a tough night.

The Seagulls lost out in the play-offs last season and were only beaten to an automatic spot on the final day when they failed to beat Middlesbrough at the Riverside.

Benitez, despite the regularity of his side playing three matches in a week, said: “For us, every game is difficult. Bristol City it was playing away and it was quite difficult because they were doing well.

“But Brighton have experience of doing well in the Championship with a manager who has the same experience and it will be a big test for us. But afterwards it will be Derby, Villa - we have to realise that every game will be tough, every game will be difficult. We have to be ready.”

He added: “To be fair, we played 60 games with Chelsea, 61, so I have experience of playing two games a week. The difference here is not playing two games a week, that’s easy for us to manage even if it’s not ideal, because I’ve done it for years.

“When I was in the Champions League or the Europa League - we played 13 games with Chelsea, plus the cup, plus the league - it wasn’t a problem.

“The problem is not two different competitions because the approach is different and it’s something different to think about and the focus changes. If it’s the same competition that’s the tough test because you know that the focus is the same. That’s the difficulty.”

Newcastle are without strikers Dwight Gayle and Aleksandar Mitrovic today because of the seven-day rule following the concussion sustained during the EFL Cup victory over Shrewsbury.