Ronald Koeman is prepared to wait another two or three weeks before deciding with Saints officials whether to strengthen his squad in the January transfer window.

Saints are currently beset by injury problems, with Morgan Schneiderlin, Jack Cork and Toby Alderweireld all receiving treatment, joining long term absentees James Ward-Prowse and Jay Rodriguez on the sidelines.

Saints are also braced for suspensions too with bookings being collected in a frantically busy period, as well as losing Sadio Mane and Emmanuel Mayuka to the Africa Cup of Nations in the New Year.

At this exact moment it feels as if there is compelling reason to bring in an extra body or two if finances allow.

However, the picture may look a little different if Saints are fully fit again in a few week’s time, aside perhaps from Cork who is out for a minimum of six weeks with ankle ligament damage.

Koeman said: “One is to plan January when you have everybody available then you have to look if you need some players.

“If you have a lot of injuries for a long period that makes it more normal to bring in new players.

“We have to wait because players are coming back and that decision we have to make in two or three weeks.”

He added: “My full attention is to prepare the games what we have to play but there will come one day to have a talk because it’s not only the talk about transfers but the situation after five months and what we have to do for the second part in the league.

“Maybe we will do it next week, maybe two weeks. I don’t know.”

Saints are in the midst of what Koeman describes as a crazy run of fixtures, and admits it’s a new experience for him and a lot of the players.

“For example for Graziano, for Tadic, and for Mane, it’s more difficult because they are not used,” he admitted. “Mane in Red Bull had a long period winter break and now he’s going to the Africa Cup.

“Pelle and Tadic always had a break in Holland for ten days off and they need that.

“That’s difficult to give them rest. Maybe they have to rest one game but it’s difficult, they have to get used to that.

“It’s a new experience for myself and for the players, and to get that experience you have to be involved in that.”

Koeman believes that the amount of games Saints are facing over December and early January could lead to injuries piling up, and that the programme favours the big clubs.

“The chance to be injured is much higher than normally, that’s true,” he said.

“I don’t say anything about playing on Christmas.

“I think if I wasn’t a football player or coach to go to the stadium at Christmas time is to enjoy and I would like that.

“But to have one day off between two games is crazy.

“You need at least two days between the one and the next one and not playing on Friday and playing on Sunday. Then the risk of playing and injuries is too high.”

He continued: “Of course it benefits the big teams because they have in numbers more players to change and they have all the players are international players.

“I don’t think that you can play on Friday with the 11 players and can play on Sunday with the same 11 players. It’s impossible.

“But I don’t have that experience and next season yes. I will see.”