MU: No Transfer signings in January

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson will be happy to see out the season with the current crop of players at his disposal.

Instead his focus remains on ensuring United are on the shoulders of the Premier League leaders going into 2009.

United travel to Stoke on Boxing Day after becoming Club World Champions on defeating LDU Quito in Japan on Sunday. They have two games in hand on their rivals. Liverpool are seven points clear and Chelsea six as the second half of the season is entered.

Ferguson feels United have the personnel to cope with the remainder of the campaign with . He said: "I do not think there will be any January transfers. I am happy with what I have got.

"We are probably going to bring back a couple of young players who have been on loan. That may just give us extra protection.

"We took 23 players to Japan and they are very substantial players. I would be happy to play any one of them.

"Winning the competition was a great boost to the club and the players. It was a great achievement and the important thing was they played well.

"They showed good enthusiasm through the matches and good concentration. We have come through it well."

Ferguson is now intent on regaining ground on the domestic front.

He said: "If we get within a point or two of the leaders by New Year's Day then we are in with a chance.

"The second half of the season is the most important because if you lose a game it means something, particularly when you get to March and April.

"Recent results have been predictable. Arsenal and Liverpool, given the position of the clubs and the history of the clubs, you expect a tight match.

"Because of Everton's poor record against Chelsea you were worried about that. But having watched the game, they will consider themselves unlucky not to win the match. Equally, so I thought Chelsea defended well."