Key was appointed Leeds director of rugby in 2008

Leeds director of rugby Andy Key says a football-style transfer window would benefit sides at the bottom of or chasing promotion to the Premiership.

The football transfer window only opens in January and the close-season, while it is common for rugby players to agree pre-contract moves in mid-season.

"A window would certainly help clubs like us," Key told BBC Radio Leeds.

"It's difficult to sign players now because we can't say for sure what league we'll be in next season."

Key added: "When it comes to the end of the season most players have committed their futures so it makes it harder for us to bring new talent to the club.

"I think it's right that clubs who want to keep their current players can re-sign them at any point during a season.

"But for players thinking of moving clubs I think there should be a window and maybe that's something the RFU will start to look at."

While their rivals have begun to announce new and re-signed players for next season, Leeds have yet to reveal who will be at Headingley in 2010-11.

"There is a lot of work going on behind the scenes and we are talking to a lot of different players," Key continued.

"There are players that are still in contract with us, which is straight forward, then there are others who are out of contract and want new deals or maybe want to move on.

"There are a lot of informal and formal discussions going on without us taking our eyes off the need to win enough games to stay in this league."

Leeds currently lie bottom of the Premiership, five points behind second-bottom Worcester.

"It is a more difficult job because we can't say for sure what division we'll be in next season," said Key.

"We know if we stay in the Premiership the finances are there for us to go back into the market place.

"Hopefully we can bring in some further quality players and from that we feel we will move on."

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