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Rafa Benitez has revealed his “best team” will look “different” by the end of the month - because he is still targeting up to four further signings to bolster Newcastle United’s attacking flair.

The Magpies have already brought in eight players at a gross spend of £45million this summer, but Benitez stresses there will be further movement before the August 31 deadline - both in and out of the club.

How many further acquisitions are made will depend on United shipping deadwood out of the squad - and on whether the likes of Moussa Sissoko and Cheick Tiote stay on Tyneside - but Benitez is adamant there will be incomings between now and the start of September.

“My best team [at the end of the month] will be different because we still want to bring in another three or four players,” the Spaniard admitted, while once again stressing he was under no financial pressure to sell any player.

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“Maybe it will be one, maybe it will be four – it depends on who is leaving and who is available. If we bring another two players, it will be because we think they can play.

“If we are changing things, it is not because we are losing; it is because we still do not have our team.

“We do not have our top XI, maybe because two or three of the players are still not here. We know the positions, and we will be trying to bring in the players because we know they can play.

“Maybe in three weeks’ time, they will be playing so the team will be different.”

Newcastle lost their opening two Championship matches but Benitez insists that has not been a factor in his transfer business.

Instead, the 56-year-old was always looking to add greater flair and precision in attack, though he hopes his current crop of Magpies will have enough invention to see off Reading at St James’ Park on Wednesday night.

“We are in the market because we have to fix these things,” Benitez replied when asked about United’s lack of creativity in their opening two games.

“I’m really pleased with the signings that we did earlier. All of them have been fantastic - we have seen that in pre-season.

“But it is not enough.

“We have to improve a little bit more.

“You go the wide areas but the other team are waiting, they are organised so you have to go back.

“You need players able to beat people.

“We go to [Matt] Ritchie in the market, why? Because he could beat players.

“We have to find [more]. We need more players - and players that can be more precise.”