Carlisle United manager Greg Abbott has admitted he is frustrated by speculation linking him with players during the January transfer window.
"I just think it doesn't do us any good," Abbott told BBC Radio Cumbria. "If we do alert the bigger clubs they just out-muscle us with money.
"The quieter we can keep it, the less people we alert, the more chance we have of getting the players.
"All that work is wasted if you declare your hand."
The Cumbrians have recently been linked with a move for former loanee Joe Anyinsah.
The 24-year-old Preston winger, who is the subject of a reported bid from Brighton & Hove Albion, spent a three-month loan spell at Brunton Park last season.
"We've spoken to five or six of the players and offers have been made"
"I think the fans are actually doing our transfer window search for us at the moment," Abbott said.
The Carlisle boss is refusing to reveal the identity of any of his targets during January as he seeks to strengthen his squad.
"There's loads of names being bandied about. We've just got to keep on looking but I'm not going to declare my hand at the moment," he said.
"There's been loads of phone-calls in and out but nothing to report yet."
The Cumbrians have agreed an extension to Michael Liddle's loan stay from Sunderland until 14 February with a view to extending the deal until the end of the season.
The Black Cats have also given Carlisle a verbal agreement to allow midfielder Graham Kavanagh to stay until the end of the current campaign.
"Graham is currently negotiating his situation with Sunderland," Abbott said.
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"He's out of contract at the end of the season so they are now seeing whether they can make that a little bit more firm whereby he sorts himself out and is a free agent to maybe negotiate a longer deal with us."
Abbott is also trying to tie-up several current first-team squad members who are out of contract in the summer to new deals.
"We've spoken to five or six of the players and offers have been made.
"We think they're terrific offers. The lads know the time limit. If they say 'no' then we will look to replace them."
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