NEWCASTLE UNITED are finding it difficult to persuade clubs to sanction loan deals this month as Rafael Benitez continues his push to strengthen for the final few months of the promotion push.

The Magpies have already been told they will not be allowed to sign Ruben Loftus-Cheek from Chelsea this month so have targeted a number of alternatives.

But Newcastle are finding it just as difficult to broker agreements until the end of the season for other players they have in mind ahead of Saturday’s trip to Brentford.

Benitez had admitted he would have liked to have added his squad before heading for Griffin Park. That now seems unlikely, with the minutes ticking by towards the game.

Everton’s Tom Cleverley remains one of the likeliest options to head to St James’ Park, particularly after Morgan Schneiderlin was given permission to complete a £22m move from Manchester United.

The Toffees would prefer to do business for a fee, though, with an £8m figure being suggested and Newcastle are looking to conclude a loan initially with a view to a permanent switch.

Newcastle have been in contact with Manchester City for Fabian Delph and Fulham for the highly-rated Tom Cairney, only to be knocked back on both fronts. Bournemouth striker Callum Wilson has been targeted too.

The priority for Benitez this month is to bring in an attacking midfielder and winger and that has prompted suggestions that he is interested in Stewart Downing. The Middlesbrough winger is focused on staying in the Premier League rather than dropping into the Championship.

Derby County’s Tom Ince is another wide-player that the Newcastle manager is keen on – even though there is no way the Rams would sanction a loan deal for the former England Under-21 international.

Ince scored the winner for Derby against West Brom in the FA Cup at the weekend when his manager Steve McClaren, the former Newcastle boss, made it clear how important the former Liverpool youngster was to his plans.

McClaren said: “Tom has got great ability – he can score and assist. He should be a Premier League player. He has had opportunities and you have seen the fight he has.

“He wants to get back there. He showed his Premier League quality. He has to keep that going. It is consistency, doing it week in, week out, and day in, day out. It is about being relentless.”

Benitez would have liked to have Wilson, the Cherries striker, on board before the end of the month. He has been repeatedly told that Bournemouth want in excess of £15m for him.

The former Coventry striker moved to the south coast in a £3m deal in the summer of 2014 and the 24-year-old is someone Benitez would love to be competing with Dwight Gayle for a starting spot.

But unless Newcastle suddenly offload the likes of Aleksandar Mitrovic to raise more spending money for the Championship promotion run-in then Benitez will be going with the striker options he already has.

Former Newcastle defender Aaron Hughes, meanwhile, has joined Ian Cathro at Hearts until the end of the season.

Cathro, who left Tyneside to take over at Tynecastle last month, has attracted Hughes to Edinburgh after a spell in the Indian Super League.

The 37-year-old was a free agent after leaving Kerala Blasters and he has moved to Hearts, where he will work again with Norther Ireland’s assistant coach Austin MacPhee.