Mansfield Town's January business could already be complete

Stags have signed Spurs midfielder Matthew Craig on loan while allowing striker Tom Nichols out on loan to Swindon Town.

And ahead of Saturday's big home clash with title-chasing Wycombe Wanderers, boss Nigel Clough said: “Some clubs will say they need four or five players to give their season a boost.

“We don't think we do. We just need to keep the lads we have got fit.

“If we have the squad we have now fit on 1st February we will be happy.

“We do have one or two names we are throwing about for players on loan and so on.

“But nothing is desperate. There is no great hurry. Apart from Rhys Oates, who may be back in two or three weeks, we have a fully fit squad.”

He added: “From day one we have said how pleased we are with this squad.

“Everybody is performing when they come in for a game here and there. Everyone has performed to an extremely high and consistent level.

“Making five changes from game to game over Christmas has not affected the quality of the performances.

“So we may bring in one or two more, or maybe nothing this month.

“We will just wait and see. They have to be better than what we've got – or different. We always say that as we have a very good squad.

“Unfortunately we already have two or three, or three or four, going to be outside of it with everybody fit at the moment.

“So it would be tough on some of the players not even being in the 18.”

Stags are waiting to see how Oates' knee injury responds before deciding if they need cover for him.

“We are going to try to leave it until the end of the window when we will have a better idea of how his knee is,” said Clough.

“Maybe we would bring in a striker if Rhys was out. He has a little something going on in his knee.

“He was very unlucky when he was down by the corner flag in our last home match when he just went from the grass onto the Astroturf and it unsettled his knee. He has had a scan and he had an injection in it last week which will hopefully settle it down.

“He then needs a week or two rest before he starts building it back up.

“If all goes well we will have him back in February.

“I think with the flexibility we have within the squad, it's not about looking for a specific position – just a quality player.

“Someone with better quality than we have already, that is when we will look at them. We won't bring anyone in for the sake of it.”

There is a chance of more players going out.

“Callum Macdonald has been outside the squad and we have had a few enquiries, so I think there is a chance of him going out,” said Clough.

“George Williams has also been outside the squad. “We feel it's been so tough on Tom and George as they have never let us down – George especially. Every time he has come in he has never let us down.

“But we have a very good back five at the moment with Alfie Kilgour and Aden Flint banging on the door to get back in.”