Leeds United: No new loan signings before deadline, insists Steve Evans

Evans said an improvement in United’s form and the return of several players from injury had put the Championship club in a position where “we don’t need anyone in the building.”

Earlier this week Leeds were linked again with Lafferty, the Norwich City striker who Evans attempted to sign on an emergency loan before Christmas and chased without success in the January transfer window.

Lafferty remains peripheral at Norwich and indicated recently that he was anxious for a run of games before his appearance with Northern Ireland at this summer’s European Championship.

Evans, however, has seen forward Chris Wood return from a hamstring injury and Italian striker Mirco Antenucci is currently on a run of four goals in three games.

Right-back Gaetano Berardi is fit again after a long-term ankle injury this month and second choice goalkeeper Ross Turnbull will be Leeds’ only notable absentee against Huddersfield Town on Saturday.

Evans has not made any signings since the Football League’s emergency window - the last of its kind before FIFA closes that loophole this summer - opened in early February and the United boss, whose side are on a run of three straight wins, said: “As a coach you’re always looking, just to see what’s available and what’s not, but I’d be doing the boys in the dressing room a disservice if I wasn’t looking inward first.

“On Saturday we’ll have our strongest bench since I came in here. That must tell you we think the team is strong. I think when we look at the options we’ve got, not only on the bench but some players who aren’t even getting stripped, it shows you we’re getting stronger.

“When we’re as strong as that, I don’t think we need anyone in the building.”

Evans appears equally unwilling to allow any players to leave Elland Road on a temporary basis ahead of the Thursday’s deadline, saying he was guarding against a run of eight games in 28 days during April.

“We’re minded that we’ve got a schedule coming up that’s pretty hectic, a game every three days or so,” he said. “That’s going to test the whole group.”