Newcastle United are set to hold a recruitment meeting next week with Steve Bruce ready to outline his needs to Lee Charnley and transfer chief Steve Nickson.
The Magpies have a host of senior players out of contract in the summer and departures are on the cards.
But Bruce is under no illusions about the winter window and admits there is no point signing players just for the sake of it.
After being linked with Strasbourg's Ibrahima Sissoko this week, Bruce said: "I spoke to Lee yesterday.
"We have a meeting next week with Steve Nickson, the chief scout.
"But it’s always difficult in January.
"If there’s somebody out there who can improve us we’ll try to act, but in terms of big conversations, I haven’t really had them yet."
When asked if he had his shortlist at the ready, Bruce said: "I know what I would like to have, but whether you get it is a different thing.
"If you can’t get it, you have to be patient.
"Bringing people in for the sake of it is not the right thing, but if you can get somebody who can improve the team, any manager would act.
"We’ll try to do our best."
