Eddie Howe is eager to shelve any talk of the January transfer window at Newcastle United - insisting it could be harmful to the club's more immediate problems.
United have been linked with Juventus' Adrien Rabiot and Aaron Ramsey and Burnley's James Tarkowski in the past 24 hours but Howe has told his players to ignore transfer speculation.
And while that doesn't mean he won't be active in terms of recruitment after Christmas, Howe's ideal scenario is for all the energy around the club to be channelled on a nine-game mini-season between now and the start of 2022.
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Howe said: "I have been in football long enough to know that looking too far ahead is a waste of energy, a waste of time.
"My only focus is on the short-term.
"I have always had a style of management that while I look very short-term I always have an eye on the horizon for what is in the best interests of the football club.
"So certain planning needs to take place for transfer windows and putting things in place, improving infrastructure.
"Improving the Academy and working with young players.
"So there is a long-term view to what we do.
"But I know in this job currently, I would be foolish to take my eye of what is immediately in front of me."
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