Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has admitted that he would be "disappointed" if he did not add to his squad before the end of the transfer window.
The Reds were beaten to the £12m capture of Egyptian winger Mohamed Salah by Chelsea this week and other reported targets are yet to be seriously pursued.
While this lack of incoming activity frustrates Rodgers, he is confident that he has assembled an Anfield squad capable of challenging for Champions League qualification without January improvements.
"Of course I wanted to strengthen the team that was already here, and if I couldn't do that it would be disappointing," he told reporters. "We will see where we are once the window shuts. If we don't get them in then as coach I work with what I've got.
"My sole intention would be to maximise everything we have left and I will rinse everything out of the players I have available. I said to the players in a meeting the other day we have to fight in these remaining games and for the injured ones to get back as quick as they possibly can because we are going to need every one of them.
"If they are not, we have to find ways to win games and we have to remain optimistic until they all get back. I have tried to build something here which means we are not overly reliant on one player. We have shown we can really challenge at the top end and we have wanted to bring in a few players of quality that could help us and let's hope we can do that between now and the end of the window."
Rodgers apparently scouted Nottingham Forest pair Jamaal Lascelles and Karl Darlow on Friday.
Joe Fish
