Newcastle United boss Rafa Benitez says England coach Sam Allardyce should be scouting his players.

Benitez believes that Big Sam should take a trip to his former club to run the rule over in-form Jonjo Shelvey.

He said: “If Jonjo can keep his consistency, if he can keep working as hard as he is and playing at the level he has been playing, why not?

“And not just him. Any player.

“The Championship is a very good level now. There are a lot of very good English players in this league.

“You don't have too many in the Premier League. Every year in every country – it is the same in Spain – everybody is complaining, saying there are too many foreign players coming in and we don't have space for English players.

“You have less in the Premier League but you have more in the Championship."