Crystal Palace boss Tony Pulis wanted to have signed new players by now, and has admitted that getting them in will have to be done “by hook or by crook”.

At the mid-way stage of the January transfer window, the Eagles are yet to sign anyone while Kevin Phillips, Florian Marange and Jason Banton have left, and Jimmy Kebe has gone out on loan.

Pulis, who recruited his ally of almost 15 years David Kemp as technical coach last week, admitted he was frustrated with the lack of incoming action.

“There’s been stuff in the pipeline for three to four weeks, the problem is we’re not able to do any business,” he said.

“It is very important and we’ve not managed to do it, so by hook or by crook, we have to try and get players in.

“I thought we would have had some players in by now, so it’s frustrating.

“We have our targets but it is tough in football, you have three sides to it. We, the player and their club have to agree.”

He added: “It is feeding season for the media, we’ve been linked with about 15 names coming and going – I understand that, I have to deal with that.

“The best thing for me is to sign the players first, and try and keep it as secret as I can.”

The media are not entirely to blame for the circulating of rumours, because social media over-heats during the transfer window – something which passes Pulis by due to his inability to understand the medium, especially Twitter.

He said: “Don’t ever ask me about Twitter – I have never understood it, I don’t know how to do it, I don’t know how it works.

“People tell me it is about someone waking up in the morning and telling their mates what he’s having for breakfast.

“I just find it amazing. Years ago we used to talk to people.”

Pulis is likely to be without KG and Jerome Thomas this weekend with injuries, while Cameron Jerome is suspended.