Rafa Benitez reveals what he wants to do in January's transfer window

Benitez is waiting to find out how much money, if anything at all, he will have to spend in next month's transfer window given that the club is for sale.

United's manager is understood to be looking for a striker, a left-back, a winger and a No 10.

Benitez is waiting to discuss his transfer budget with managing director Lee Charnley.

Asked if he needed players to go straight into the team, Benitez said: “We need to improve.

"Some people say 'Rafa is asking for that'. Listen, every manager in the world's asking for that, but especially us, because we didn't do what we had to do in September.

“It's so simple. You have to improve these positions, so if I'm a player, I will try to give my best to make sure it's not my position.

"I will compete and I will say 'I will be the best, so don't look for anyone in my position'.

“That's it, it's simple, so it's nothing against our players. Our players are fantastic, because they are giving everything."

Benitez added: “I think it’s obvious that we have some positions that we have to reinforce."

Newcastle are 15th in the Premier League and two points above the relegation zone ahead of this afternoon's home game against Leicester City.

Asked about the possibility of having no money to spend in the window, Benitez said: “I’m just concentrating on Leicester, and then we’ll see what happens after this game.

"For us, we just have to be sure that we maximise what we have at the moment. That’s it."

Benitez remains convinced that the ongoing takeover talks are not a distraction to his players.

“We don't talk about that," said Benitez. "I have told you before. I'm telling you now. We're not talking about this. It's just this game or this position, this free-kick, this movement or whatever. That's it."