DAVID MOYES would love to see the January transfer window condensed into a tighter timeframe ahead of another uncertain couple of weeks when he is braced for more interest in Sunderland’s key players.

Moyes has already had to deal with offers for Jermain Defoe and Patrick van Aanholt from West Ham and Crystal Palace, respectively, and there is also known to be strong interest in Adnan Januzaj and Lamine Kone.

There is every chance that Sunderland could be put into a difficult position before the end of the month if a tempting bid arrives for important players, even if Moyes is desperate to retain them to boost the fight to stay in the Premier League.

The Sunderland manager would rather be recruiting – and he has offers on the table for a number of players, even if he only has a limited budget – than fending off interest and feels the length of the window is not helping.

Moyes said: “You know something, I wonder if actually the January window should suddenly become, say, ten days. Because what we're doing is, we're dragging things out and things get done at the last minute.

“Why don't we just make it ten days, and say 'let's get it done and get on with it?’ If you look at Germany and all that, these countries have their work done long before. They don't do a great deal of business in January.

“There's a lot of speculation and stuff which has probably got no truth in it, or an element of truth in it. But most clubs are saying 'we're not selling' or 'the player's not going just now'. There'll be a few, as you know but there'll not be as many as everybody's suggesting there might be.”

Sunderland are knocking on the door of clubs but are not allowed any more loans from a Premier League club because Januzaj and Jason Denayer are on temporary terms from Manchester United and Manchester City. That, clearly, would change if Lyon were to reach an agreement with United for Januzaj to move this month.

“We're sniffing around. I couldn't say we're close but in the same breath I wouldn't want to ... I'll try and tell you straight, as always,” said Moyes. “If one of the clubs we've mentioned turned around and said 'Yeah, OK that's done', it could happen. But if you asked me if anything's (imminent), I'd say 'Not really'.

“Some of them (are fees), but small. We're trying to just tick along but nothing that would make you go 'wow'. We can't take any players on loan, because we've got them already. It would need to be a transfer and would need to be a very big transfer.”

Moyes admitted he likes Ipswich defender Adam Webster, even though he does not think the centre-back is one he would be looking to bring in this month.

He is also determined to keep his squad intact. The former Everton boss, suggesting no player has asked to leave, said: “We want to keep Patrick, we have had bids for other players too, and somewhere along the line we may decide there is a bid we will take, but I want to keep my best players and add to the squad if we can, ultimately. There is always a price but my plan is not to sell any player.”

While all the transfer talk is going on he knows he must try to lead a small squad to victory over Stoke City at the Stadium of Light this afternoon.

Three points could lift Sunderland out of the relegation zone, with Crystal Palace sitting a point above them ahead of their trip to West Ham.

Moyes will still be without forward Victor Anichebe through injury, while full-back Billy Jones is the only one of the absentees available to return to action against Stoke.

He said: “There are no more injuries. No (Steven) Pienaar and no (Victor) Anichebe, and really the rest are just bubbling along. There aren't actually that many on the horizon. The next two back will hopefully be Steven Pienaar and Anichebe.

“(Jordan) Pickford and Lynden Gooch are doing well, then there's the other group which is a long way in the distance - (Lee) Cattermole), (Jan) Kirchhoff and obviously the cruciate boys (Duncan Watmore and Paddy McNair) are not back this season.”

SUNDERLAND (4-3-2-1): Mannone; Jones, O’Shea, Djilobodji, van Aanholt; Larsson, Rodwell, Denayer; Borini, Januzaj; Defoe