Rafael Benítez has lent his voice to the increasingly compelling argument for Jonjo Shelvey’s inclusion in England’s World Cup squad. “If Jonjo had the motivation of the World Cup, I think he’d be great,” said the Newcastle manager, who now very rarely omits his gifted playmaker. “My feeling is that, if he goes to Russia, he can be a great player. It’s not my job to talk about what Gareth Southgate has to do but what I like about Jonjo is that he’s different from the players England already have and he can do a lot of things.

“It’s not my decision but, if you ask me as Newcastle United’s manager if Jonjo’s a very good player, the answer is ‘yes’. He’s different and he can be good for any squad.”

Shelvey’s rare ability to produce 50-yard defence-splitting passes has already earned the 26-year-old six senior England caps, the last in 2015, but concerns about his temperament and on-field discipline are understood to have influenced Southgate’s decision to persistently overlook him.

“I don’t know if England have been thinking about him,” said Benítez. “Sometimes maybe you’re close and you don’t know. Maybe he was in the head of the England manager before the last game. Jonjo’s quite focused at the moment but I think he would be even better for this type of tournament. A World Cup is just a few weeks and you know you have to stay really focused, without any distractions. If Jonjo’s part of things for a few weeks he can be very important. Jonjo’s doing very well now and I think we can forget about his past.”

Benítez himself is unlikely to board a plane to Russia. “I’m not a fan of the World Cup and the Euros in terms of signing players,” said Newcastle’s manager whose latterly much improved side can all but secure Premier League survival with victory at Leicester on Satur`day.

“Every player wants to go to a World Cup and Euros and, for one or two or three weeks, they’re motivated. But, over 10 months, maybe they don’t reach that level. I’m not impressed with signing players just because they do well at the World Cup.”

Mike Ashley, the Newcastle owner, is hoping that Benítez will sign an extension to the one year remaining on his contract but the Spaniard is keeping his options open. As happy as Newcastle’s manager genuinely is with many aspects of the club and city it is understood he will need cast iron assurances about the summer transfer budget before committing himself to the long haul on Tyneside.

“I don’t want to talk about my future,” said Benítez, who is, nonetheless, already drawing up summer transfer plans. “The main thing at the moment is just to concentrate on getting to 40 points.”