Rafa Benitez drops intriguing hint about Newcastle's January transfer business

Benitez hopes to strengthen two or three positions in the New Year. And United’s manager has been sifting through potential targets with Steve Nickson, the club’s head of recruitment.

Newcastle – who take on Burnley at Turf Moor tonight – are unable to sign any more players on domestic loans, having already recruited Kenedy and Salomon Rondon.

Asked if the club could secure Kenedy and Rondon on permanent deals in January, Benitez said: “Yeah, it’s an option, but still it’s too early for me to say that. For me, I have to see what happens in the next couple of weeks – see where we are – and then work from that. Imagine that we find someone available, we realise we can make this movement in order to bring that player, but it will be difficult. The normal situation will be for us to look for something abroad.”

Benitez doesn’t expect to sign players from clubs still in the Champions League, whatever money he has to spend.

“Champions League games, it doesn’t matter to watch these matches because normally they will not come to us in January,” said Benitez.

“The teams at the top of the table in different leagues, it’s very rare that the player will come here. It has to be someone that maybe you know, or know their agent, or you have some connection in some way.

“But it’s quite difficult, so you have to see every league around the world, see the options, and then the first thing is ‘OK, this is the player – can we buy them? Can it be a loan?’. All these questions, but first we must find the players.”