I can't see us signing anybody in the window, admits Keegan

Newcastle boss Kevin Keegan has revealed he is unlikely to be able to strengthen his squad during the remaining hours of the January transfer window.

Keegan's return to Tyneside a fortnight ago sparked speculation he would be handed a £30million war chest by owner Mike Ashley with which to recruit star players.

The names of Dimitar Berbatov, Micah Richards, Jermain Defoe and Shaun Wright-Phillips were among those with whom the 56-year-old was linked in the immediate aftermath of his arrival at St James' Park.

However, having admitted he had entered the race for Jonathan Woodgate's signature too late to prevent his £7m switch from Middlesbrough to Tottenham, and having seen a bid for Derby's Giles Barnes rejected, Keegan is facing the prospect of negotiating the remaining 14 games of the campaign with the squad he has.

He said: "I will be honest with you, I have sat down and looked, and there isn't anything out there that's going to strengthen us better than when the four players come back from the African Nations Cup.

"They will be back with us in two-and-a-half weeks, and there's just nothing out there."

Keegan, who saw his side slip to their second 3-0 defeat at Arsenal within four days on Tuesday night, inherited a small squad from predecessor Sam Allardyce, reduced further by the presence of Habib Baye, Abdoulaye Faye, Geremi and Obafemi Martins in Ghana for the Nations Cup.

Indeed, he has even had to fend off approaches from other clubs for the likes of strikers Shola Ameobi and Andy Carroll as he attempts to address a run of results which has brought the Magpies just two of the last 21 Barclays Premier League points they have contested.

Keegan said: "I cannot let anybody go out. I have had enquiries for three players - one loan and two to sell - but I cannot do it.

"It would be madness. It would be impossible to sell anybody as I haven't got enough players."

The current situation at St James' is all a far cry from the euphoria which surrounded the new manager's unveiling and his promise to bring the good times back just a few short days ago.

Dennis Wise's subsequent arrival as executive director (football), accompanied by vice-president (player recruitment) Tony Jimenez and technical co-ordinator Jeff Vetere, have given rise to conspiracy theories, although both the club and Keegan have insisted there is nothing sinister about their appointment.

In the meantime, the former England boss will turn his attention to restoring confidence ahead of Sunday's derby clash with Middlesbrough, when his side's 395-minute wait for a league goal must come to an end if they are to ease themselves away from the rapidly-developing scrap for survival.

Goalkeeper Shay Given said: "We are not safe by any means. There is still a lot of hard work to do before we can think we are safe.

"If you look at our run-in, there are a lot of tough games. Of course we are looking over our shoulders.

"We need to get some points on the board."

The two defeats by Arsenal simply served to illustrate the growing gap between the two clubs.

Given said: "To be fair, they are streets ahead of us at the minute, and you have got to hold your hands up."

But if Keegan himself needed a lift, there were words of comfort from David Ginola, the man he brought to English football from Paris St Germain in 1995.

Ginola, who was at last night's game to interview his former boss for French television afterwards, said: "I am very excited Kevin is back, but it is a tough job and very difficult to get results.

"Kevin Keegan can survive. He must play with the players he has got at the moment.

"He will have to stay in the Premier League, and start again next season."