RAFAEL BENITEZ is determined to overcome his frustrations on the transfer front by doing what he can to keep Newcastle United on the right track in the Premier League.

Benitez, who would have to pay a sizeable release clause fee if he walked away, will not resign despite his feelings and Newcastle owner Mike Ashley does not want him to leave, even if he would be one of the leading contenders for the West Ham job should Slaven Bilic leave.

Former Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini has also been linked with the Hammers post in the last 24 hours, with the pressure on Bilic mounting after a disappointing start to the season which worsened with defeat at St James’ Park on August 26.

It is that result which Benitez will be looking for his players to build on ahead of this Sunday’s trip to Swansea City, and he is looking for every little boost he can hold onto after a transfer window he thinks left him short in a number of areas.

Despite being given a little bit of money to spend this summer, newly promoted Huddersfield and Brighton still spent more than Newcastle – despite Benitez expecting much more after delivering the Championship title in May.

Now Benitez, whose side lost their first three games of the season, will lead his team to Swansea looking for the same set of players who delivered a result against the poorly performing West Ham to prove their worth over the longer term.

He faces needing to repair a fractured relationship with last season’s top scorer Dwight Gayle, who Newcastle decided to hold onto in the end because of a lack of offers matching the £18m valuation.

After failing to bring in the extra attacking option before last Thursday’s deadline, Gayle is the only alternative to lead the line to Joselu over the next three games because of Aleksandar Mitrovic’s suspension for an elbow on West Ham’s Manuel Lanzini.

But Benitez does have increased options at the back again. One of his summer recruits, Florian Lejeune, will be available as will American full-back De Andre Yedlin.

Lejeune, signed from Eibar for £8.7m in the summer, suffered an ankle injury in the club’s season-opener against Tottenham and has returned to full training. Right-back Yedlin has been out since late July with the hamstring problem picked up against Mainz.

Javier Manquillo and Chancel Mbemba are both expected to retain their places at Swansea, with Benitez knowing he has to rely on the majority of the players forming a pretty small squad by top-flight standards.

One player definitely absent is the suspended Mitrovic. Benitez – who the striker suggested didn’t trust him enough after scoring against West Ham - was blamed for not playing the 22-year-old more at club level. Mitrovic is first choice for Serbia and is top scorer in Group D.

Serbian boss Slavoljub Muslin said: "Maybe the system we play with three attackers suits him better. Perhaps the coach in Newcastle doesn’t have as much confidence in him as I do. He is our first centre-forward. Perhaps he feels more comfortable playing for the national team than he does for his own club.”