CHELSEA are seeking assurances about the level of Ruben Loftus-Cheek’s likely involvement before they will agree to release the winger on a loan move to Newcastle United.

Newcastle officials have been in contact with their counterparts at Chelsea to discuss the possibility of a loan for Loftus-Cheek during next month’s transfer window.

Magpies manager Rafael Benitez is concerned about the prospect of losing Christian Atsu for up to a month because of the Africa Cup of Nations, having already felt his squad was light on wide options anyway following the deadline-day departure of Moussa Sissoko in August.

Benitez spent seven months in charge of Chelsea during the 2012-13 season, and is aware of Loftus-Cheek’s qualities, with the 20-year-old having been involved in the club’s Under-21 squad at the time.

Since then, the midfielder has progressed to Chelsea’s senior squad, but his involvement under Antonio Conte this season has been limited to two starts in the EFL Cup and an eight-minute substitute appearance in the Premier League.

Conte feels Loftus-Cheek would benefit from a loan spell away from Stamford Bridge, and the Chelsea hierarchy are known to have been impressed with the way in which Newcastle have handled Atsu since he moved to Tyneside on loan in August.

However, with Newcastle seemingly headed for promotion, and with the likes of Matt Ritchie, Yoan Gouffran, Ayoze Perez and Mo Diame also pushing for an attacking-midfield place, there is a concern that Loftus-Cheek could find himself warming the substitutes’ bench if he was to move to the North-East.

Benitez will not be providing any assurances about the youngster’s potential involvement in his first team, so Newcastle could be vulnerable to alternative approaches from rival Championship sides who do not have such a wealth of existing options in the attacking third.

Benitez, who is hoping to sign a winger and an attacking midfielder next month, has also been linked with a possible move for Hull City’s Robert Snodgrass.

Snodgrass, who has turned down the offer of a new contract at the KCOM Stadium, is expected to leave cash-strapped Hull for around £5m next month, and Newcastle first pondered a move for him when he was playing at Leeds.

The Scotsman will turn 30 next year, placing him outside the Magpies’ preferred age range for signing players, but his proven Premier League experience may tempt them to make an offer if they think Hull will be willing to accept a bargain price.

Meanwhile, Newcastle received an unexpected boost yesterday when left-back Achraf Lazaar was left out of Morocco’s squad for the Africa Cup of Nations.

Lazaar has won 17 senior caps for his country, but has struggled to dislodge Paul Dummett from the Magpies’ starting side this season.

His lack of domestic action has cost him his place in Morocco boss Herve Renard’s 26-man squad, which was named yesterday.

As a result, he will not be involved in the Africa Cup of Nations, which is due to start in Gabon on January 14. Newcastle are still set to be without Atsu (Ghana), Diame (Senegal) and Chancel Mbemba (DR Congo).