Newcastle ready to block West Ham move for Jonjo Shelvey

David Moyes has strongly been linked with a move for Shelvey in this month’s transfer window.

And bookmakers have West Ham as 4/9 favourites to sign Romford-born Shelvey, a boyhood fan of the club.

Newcastle, however, are not prepared to sell Shelvey to team around them in the Premier League table.

Rafa Benitez’s side are 13th in the division, while West Ham, with a inferior goal difference, are two places behind them.

Shelvey, signed from Swansea City for £12million in January 2016, has been in and out of Benitez’s starting XI this season.

The 25-year-old, keen to get back in the England squad, has given no indication that he is looking to leave St James’s Park in the January window.

West Ham have not contacted Newcastle about Shelvey’s availability.

Shelvey – who scored in last weekend’s 3-1 FA Cup win over Luton Town – is preparing for Saturday’s game against Swansea, the league’s basement club.

Meanwhile, Newcastle forward Adam Armstrong has joined Blackburn Rovers on loan for the rest of the season.

The 20-year-old had spent the first half of the campaign on loan at the League One club’s rivals Bolton Wanderers.

Armstrong has been reunited with Tony Mowbray at Ewood Park.

The England Under-20 international had a successful loan spell at Coventry City, then managed by Mowbray, in the 2015-16 season.

Armstrong said: “I knew Tony from Coventry. It worked well with him and his backroom staff.

“I know what he’s all about, and know what a good manager he is. I’ve had a chat with him, and I can’t wait to get started here.

“I was only a young kid when I was at Coventry. He really helped me, and we were pretty successful together there, with the season going well.

“After Coventry, I thought I’d go back to Newcastle and maybe not see Tony again.

“But you know what football’s like, and it’s come round again with the two of us.

“Tony likes attacking football – that was his style at Coventry.

“It suits me, as I’m very quick and want to score goals and help the team.”

Armstrong and club-mate Freddie Woodman helped England’s Under-20s win the World Cup last summer.