Newcastle United: Jonjo Shelvey is not for sale

Newcastle United have made it clear to West Ham that Jonjo Shelvey is staying put on Tyneside. In other words, the midfielder is not for sale.

According to some reports that were published yesterday, Newcastle United have informed West Ham that Jonjo Shelvey is not for sale and that the Hammers should not waste their time making a transfer bid. Despite experiencing some setbacks due to injury, and not performing at the same level as last term, Rafa Benitez is keen on keeping his mercurial midfielder.

The Hammers have been linked with Shelvey on multiple occasions in past transfer windows, but it seems as though they were serious about making an offer to the Magpies for his services this time. Furthermore, this is the second time that Shelvey has been linked with a move away from Newcastle during this transfer window. Fulham were supposedly interested in a swap deal involving Newcastle’s top midfielder.

Benitez Needs Shelvey

Regardless of Shelvey’s current form, one thing is obvious at the moment – Benitez needs Shelvey on his squad, at least until the end of this campaign. Newcastle’s midfield is in shambles, specifically in central midfield, and the Spaniard cannot afford to lose another player.

Isaac Hayden has submitted his second transfer request in four months, Mohamed Diame missed the last match due to injury, Sean Longstaff lacks Top Flight experience and Ki Sung-yueng will not be with the club until February due to the Asian Cup tournament. That being said, Shelvey is grounded at Newcastle.

The reason why other Premier League clubs want him on their rosters is because he is a phenomenal passer. If Shelvey is having a good day, he can be one of the best players on the field. He can influence any match with his superior passes and long-ball crosses. In addition to his skills, Shelvey attracts the attention of other clubs because of his experience.

Despite only being 26-years-old, Shelvey is considered a veteran in the Premier League with a track record of 182 appearances in the top tier of English football with Liverpool, Swansea City and Newcastle. Now that Shelvey sees how much his manager needs him, he might wake up and become the playmaker his squad currently lacks during this relegation battle.