Daniel Farke frames Leeds United's own transfer window as he focusses on Festive fixtures

In practice, clubs can start trading from January 2 (the window opens the day before, but it is a bank holiday), and like the Boxing Day sales, there will be clubs clamouring to do business as early as possible.

But with the deepest and arguably best squad in the Championship, results which have put them in a very tight title race with Sheffield United amongst others, and no financial pressures after a brutal summer window, Farke aims to be very selective in who – if anyone – goes in and out of Elland Road.

He will also dictate the timeframe.

Asked if he was aware of any interest in his players, he laid out his cards to potential suitors for the likes of Joe Gelhardt and Max Wober, whose injury problems show no sign of abating.

"No," he replied. "Even when there is any interest or whatever we have calmed everything down and said we are in such a crucial period in the season we want all our players just to be focussed on us right now.

"We have some injuries and we need to rotate a bit so we want the whole squad just to be focussed on the next five games. After January 4 we can speak about everything else and about interest, speculation and what we do in January, and if we do something.

"I don’t expect a busy January for us but until January 4 there won't be any decision made. We just want to concentrate on the next days to win as many points as possible.

"Then, when the loads eases up a little bit we can speak about anything else but now there's no chance to speak to us about any other topic."

Between now and January 4, Leeds have Championship games every weekend and midweek, starting with the visit of Oxford United, then taking in Stoke City (away), Derby County (away), Blackburn Rovers (home) and Hull.

Then follows consecutive blank midweeks around the FA Cup third-round visit of League Two Harrogate Town. The next league game is at home to Sheffield Wednesday on January 19.

The good news for clubs made to wait is that this year the window is open until February 3.

Increasingly strict application of financial fair play rules in English football in recent years have seen more clubs forced to sell players to balance or outweigh their incomings, but Leeds went through that process and more in the summer.

Sales worth around £130m – second only to Chelsea globally – and only about a fifth of that spent on recruits mean Farke is under no pressure from the board to sell anyone.

"I don't think from a financial point of view we need to earn more money, we've earned more than any club in Western Europe in the summer [sic]," he said.

"It was important for us to work sustainably after some difficult years. You can't keep going year after year just spending. You have to stick to the rules.

"There is also the moment where you have to sell some of your players after spending and perhaps over-spending in some years at least.

"It was crucial and beneficial for the long- and the mid-term picture. It didn't help that much in the short-term in the summer but overall I think it was pretty beneficial.

"We are a pretty healthy club right now from a financial point of view so there's no pressure at all to do anything.

"It doesn't mean we can allow ourselves to spend a fortune, this won't do, we want to work sustainably, but we're quite relaxed."

Leeds have injury problems to contend with for Saturday's Championship visit of Oxford United, with Pascal Struijk rated 50-50 to play, and Wober's chances slimmer.

"There is some concern with Pascal Struijk, he is struggling a bit with tightness in his hamstring," revealed Farke. "He was not able to train on Wednesday or Thursday. To make him available he needs to be able to train in our last session (on Friday).

"At the moment our medical department gives him a 50-50 chance because the scan was not too bad but he's a major doubt."

Austria defender Wober has had a reaction since his first league start of the season, against Middlesbrough.

"It was more or less his first game in the starting line-up fox Max (this season) and for him (there was) lots of load because he played 75 minutes in the other game (Derby), and his knee was slightly swollen. We didn't want to take any risk (at Preston North End)," explained Farke.

"Sadly there was a little setback on Wednesday, he had to step out of training with some knee problems.

"It will be a tight race for him, at the moment it looks more like he will not be available for this game.”

If both miss out, Leeds must decide if Ethan Ampadu is fit to make a first start since damaging his knee ligaments in October.

Junior Firpo and Ilia Gruev are also out, but there are hopes the latter could be back in training in January, when Firpo is expected to return to the side.