Rafa Benitez explains his stance on unsettled Isaac Hayden's Newcastle future

The midfielder asked to leave the club for “family reasons” at the start of the summer.

And Hayden reiterated his position in an interview with the Gazette last month.

“The club know my stance,” said Hayden, who was a target for Brighton and Hove Albion. “I spoke to them at the start of the summer. I spoke to the manager, I spoke to the club.

“I let them know about the situation. I just hope that they can find a solution to help me with my situation. If not, I’m a professional, so I’m going to do my job, but they know my stance. It’s not changed.”

United manager Benitez, however, told Hayden – who he believes can represent England at senior level – that he would not be allowed to leave.

A report this week claimed that Hayden – who could join a Championship or overseas club before the end of the month – still wanted to quit the club.

Benitez said: “Nobody’s in limbo at the moment. The senior players who are in the team or in the squad, they cannot go and that’s it. They have to keep on working hard, which they’re doing already, and they know.

“There are all these links, but no chance.”

Hayden wants to be closer to his infant daughter, who lives in Cardiff.

“I have been talking to him, and I will try to help as much as I can, but he has to stay and he has to fight for his position,” said Benitez.

“He’s an important player for us. I’ve had this conversation with him before, maybe one month ago or even more, and we decided that he’ll stay.

“Is he OK with that? No, not really. At the moment, he’s still thinking that ‘for me and my family, it will be better to go’, but we’re professionals and we have to do what we have to do at the moment and facilitate the situation as much as we can.”