THE January sales can't come round quick enough for Harry Redknapp, who has five players with Premiership experience at the top of his shopping list.

Redknapp was clearly stunned by the performance of his team in the 5-1 drubbing by Tottenham and didn't hold back in saying the Saints squad was heavy in size but lighter in quality.

He stressed he is not looking to burden down the squad still further, but instead bring in five players who can come straight into the team and improve it.

They would be free transfers or loan deals and would all come on short-term contracts - and all his current targets are in England.

Redknapp, who signed 40 players in just over two years while at Pompey but who only paid transfer fees for under a quarter, said: "We need probably five players in with a bit of quality.

"I'm not talking about spending money. If I could get in the five I've got in mind it wouldn't probably cost anything. It would all be loans and frees and it would keep us in there.

Redknapp added: "I've got my own ideas who I want. The players I want are in England. Most of them are at clubs and if I can get them I'll be OK.

"I'm not looking at players with big wages and taking them on long-term contracts. Just players that can get us out of the mess we're in. We've got a lot of players but we lack that little bit of extra something there and that's what I've got to try to find.

"Five can make a big difference, turn us around and give us a real fighting chance."

Martin Djetou could be the first signing if he impresses over the coming days, while there have also been a host of names already linked including Redknapp's son, Jamie, Lee Boywer, Kieron Dyer, Phillipe Christanval and Laurent Robert.

Redknapp has already laughed off suggestions that Dyer or Bowyer could join and said: "I've got lots of targets and lots of people I'd like to get - it's just trying to get them.

"There's a couple of loans and a couple of free transfers, and they'd make a difference to us without spending any real money. I just wish it was the start of the season. It's difficult to come in with 21 games left, it's not so easy.

"I haven't been looking for players. I didn't have any targets because I wasn't bothered about getting anybody in four weeks ago."

Redknapp is confident in his ability to use his extensive knowledge of domestic football to pick out the bargains he needs and added: "I don't need to watch players because I know everybody who's around in England.

"If I can, I'd rather get in players that have been here and played here rather than go abroad and bring somebody in and take a big gamble on them - unless I can get them into the training ground for a few days and have a look at them."

Despite Redknapp's comments regarding foreigners, Egyptian striker Mido was again linked with Saints in the national press today regarding a £2.5m move next month. The ex-Marseille man was heavily linked with Saints back in the summer before joining Roma.