A bid by Free State Stars to sign Rodney Ramagalela from champions Mamelodi Sundowns has been turned down, Stars' general manager Rantsi Mokoena said yesterday.

The 26-year-old forward has played in just two matches for Sundowns this season. "We have made a bid to get him but I think they want to keep him," he said.

It is the only transfer business so far for the club, who plan no drastic changes to their line-up either on the field or on the bench even though they lie just one point above the relegation zone.

A good run of form in December when they won two out of five and were unlucky not to make it three when they drew to Mpumalanga Black Aces, who got a controversial penalty to tie the match, means there is a positive vibe in the camp, added Mokoena.

"We are hopeful to start off the second part of the season in the same way we finished the first. Our aim is to use this pre-season restart period properly and get everybody ready to go," Mokoena said.

"We never had one time during the first half of the season that we were able to pick from a full squad. Our goalkeeper, Daouda Diakite, was injured in the first game and what followed was a bit of bad luck."

At various stages Stars have had to do without Rudolph Bester, Themba Tshabalala, Daniel Cardoso, Robert Sankara and Reuben Thebakang, who is still out among the few still nursing their way back from injury.

Stars restart away at SuperSport United on February 11.