Leeds United manager Steve Evans confident of more Premier League signings

Leeds United manager Steve Evans says the club are in talks with a number of Premier League sides over making further additions to his squad. Evans made his first addition to the Championship side on 26 November, signing Sunderland midfielder Liam Bridcutt on an initial one-month loan deal.

The club have already tried to sign Norwich City striker Kyle Lafferty on another loan deal only to be knocked back by Canaries manager Alex Neil. Following the closure of the Football League loan window, the Championship side must now wait until the January transfer window reopens to make further additions but Evans is confident a lot of groundwork has already been done.

"The planning for the January window won't just happen on Christmas Eve," Evans told a press conference, the Yorkshire Post reports. "Things we have tried to do in the last week, 10 days, they will be worked through again in December hopefully ready to run early in January."

Evans also insisted he was happy with the backing he received from club owner Massimo Cellino during the emergency loan window and is confident of having that support again in January. He said: "I believe so [that l will be backed by the owner in January]. I've been given every encouragement to pick up the phone, identify players and work with Martyn [Glover, Leeds' head of recruitment]."

On the same day Will Buckley ended his loan spell at Leeds, the club welcomed the arrival of Bridcutt. While the move is officially only to last until the beginning of January, Evans says they have the option of extending that until the end of the season.

"He's only here for a short space of time initially but I think it will be extended until the end of the season," he said. "That has been pretty much agreed by all parties, subject to everybody being happy at the time. I've spoken to him about getting his career back on track, playing regular football and looking forward to Saturdays and Tuesdays again."