RAFA BENITEZ will not allow Jonjo Shelvey to leave Newcastle United unless he will have better alternatives to call on once the transfer window has closed.

West Ham United are pursuing a deal for the Magpies midfielder and have floated the idea of a swap deal involving Geordie-born striker Andy Carroll.

But Benitez – whose future is unlikely to be on Tyneside beyond this season if he doesn’t see real progress this month – is not interested in letting Shelvey go, while he is still waiting for a positive update on the transfer front.

Mike Ashley, the club’s owner, is believed to be ready to sanction some deals before next Thursday’s window closure after another unsuccessful attempt to sell up.

As well as talk of the potential for swap involving Shelvey and Carroll, respected French newspaper L’Equipe are claiming Newcastle have made a move for Lyon’s young playmaker Martin Terrier.

Lyon are reluctant to let him go permanently and have so far resisted offers for him to head out on loan to increase his playing time. Benitez has had the attacking midfielder watched numerous times but he is rated highly by his club.

He would appear to be a cheaper alternative to Atlanta United’s Miguel Almiron, with Newcastle no nearer to paying the £25m asking price or meeting the reported demands from his advisors. An offer of £16m is believed to be on the table.

Newcastle have also considered an offer to loan them Iran full-back Milad Mohammadi and Juventus’ youngster Moise Keane has been on the radar too.

But so far Benitez, whose frustrations are well known having not seen much progress on a list of targets he handed the club in December, still waits for a breakthrough that will encourage him in his own situation.

He is out of contract in the summer and will not sign a new deal unless the situation improves, despite a preference to stay at St James’ Park provided the club’s owners share his own ambitions.

Benitez’s short-term goal is to keep Newcastle in the Premier League after last weekend’s 3-0 win over Cardiff lifted them back above the relegation zone.

Benitez is also concerned about the fitness of midfielder Ki Sung-Yeung, who is back on Tyneside early from international duty. He will not be playing club football for a few weeks.

The South Korean has been at the Asian Cup but suffered a recurrence of a hamstring injury on Friday and has had to cut his tournament short.

Ki arrived back at Newcastle’s Benton training complex yesteday afternoon and will not be available for Saturday’s FA Cup tie with Watford.

It is also unlikely that he will be fit to face either Manchester City or Tottenham in the next two league dates, and Benitez will be hoping his absence does not stretch beyond that.

Benitez is already waiting for positive news on the transfer front because he could do with having extra options ahead of the battle to beat the drop.

Benitez is only interested in bringing new players in rather than exchanging.

Newcastle have been encouraged by the recent displays of youngster Sean Longstaff but it would be a gamble to rely on purely him and the unsettled Isaac Hayden in the run-in.

Hayden has made his feelings known on numerous occasions. In a recent interview, despite playing regularly again, his request to leave for personal reasons is still there.