JONJO SHELVEY has outlined a wish to make his mark under Rafael Benitez in the Championship next season, at a time when the Newcastle United midfield could lose two key men.

Everton are preparing a huge offer for the Magpies’ Dutch midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum and Liverpool, Manchester United and Juventus are just three of those considering a pre-season swoop for Moussa Sissoko.

Newcastle rate the pair in the £30 and £35m bracket, respectively, and it would leave a hole in the starting line-up Benitez tended to field in his final eight matches in charge last season if offers proved enough to tempt them into a sale.

The Spanish boss is adamant he will not be moving on players for the sake of it this summer and he has outlined a number of times he would prefer to keep both Wijnaldum and Sissoko despite relegation.

Neither player has issued quotes since the end of the last campaign to suggest they are desperate to stay in the Championship, however, so it would be no surprise to see both men leave in the coming weeks.

That could help Shelvey force his way back into the team after losing his starting spot in the last four games of the season, even though he only arrived in the January when Steve McClaren agreed to pay £10m to Swansea for him.

The former Liverpool midfielder, believed to have a relegation clause in his contract allowing him to leave if a club comes calling, said: “I want to play as much as possible, I want to be a regular starter.

“It hurt me last year. I didn’t show it, I was very professional and took it on the chin. There will be times when you aren’t playing. Hopefully I can start this season and we can get back up to the Premier League.”

Newcastle are in Ireland for a training camp this week ahead of a friendly with Bohemians on Saturday and Shelvey told the club’s website the squad is shaping up well – suggesting there was not as much togetherness around last season.

He said: “It has been tough training wise, but the weather has been good for us.

“It has been a good trip to be fair, everything is on site so you don’t have to get a coach in to get places and it’s a lovely place to come and stay. We had a fun activity day so it has been good.

“It has been about getting team bonding and team spirit together. We needed to do that. There wasn’t enough of that last year so fingers crossed we can get more stuff done like that. It has benefited us and you can see it on the training pitch.”

Everton are ready to table a bid for Wijnaldum after Ronald Koeman, who wanted the player when he was in charge of Southampton, took over at Goodison Park.

Koeman has earmarked his compatriot as one of his main transfer targets of the summer. It remains to be seen whether he will offer in the region of the £30m Newcastle want because he valued him at just over the £14.5m paid for him a year ago.

Newcastle have confirmed that eight youngsters have signed new contracts with the club.

Goalkeeper Brendan Pearson as well as defenders Kyle Cameron, Liam Gibson and Callum Williams – all 19 – have signed their first professional deals. Twenty-year-olds Macaulay Gillesphey, Liam Smith and Tom Heardman – have signed new terms. Stefan Broccoli has extended his stay

Academy players Luke Charman, Jamie Holmes, Jack Hunter, Sean Longstaff, Michael Newberry, Ben Smith, Dan Ward and Paul Woolston have extended their scholarships.

Three more Newcastle fixtures, meanwhile, have been rearranged for TV scheduling. The visit of Brighton will not be a 5.30pm kick-off on Saturday, August 27, the trip to Derby will be a 5.30pm start on Saturday, September 10, while the visit to Aston Villa will be the same kick-off time on Saturday, September 24.