Premiership transfer wrap
Newcastle United, still in the Champions League and second in the Premiership,topped the transfer deadline day signings by splashing out Stg£9million on defender Jonathan Woodgate from cash-strapped Leeds United.
But January's transfer window, which closes tonight, finished as it had begun - with loans making up the lion's share of the deals as club chairmen, one or twoexceptions apart, kept a tight hold on the purse strings.
Southampton, chasing a European place next season, spent £2.5million in taking England under-21 midfielder David Prutton from Nottingham Forest.
There was confusion though over a move for Bolton striker Michael Ricketts. Middlesbrough's website said today the club had agreed a fee with Bolton, but the Premiership strugglers later said no official bid had been made.
Champions Arsenal, who like Manchester United and Liverpool have not bought a single player this month, did add to their squad, bringing in former RC Lens goalkeeper Guillaume Warmuz as cover for David Seaman.
Leeds United chairman Peter Ridsdale said there had been no option but to sell the 23-year-old Woodgate because of the state of the club's finances after failure to make the Champions League two seasons in succession.
Leeds, whose debts reached £70million by the middle of last year, also parted with strikerRobbie Fowler to Manchester City in a £6million deal yesterday.
"It's acknowledged that the transfer system has imploded, with few if any football clubs having money to spend on the scale we had become used to, Ridsdale warned in a newsconference today at which manager Terry Venables refused to commit himself to the club following the sale of Woodgate and Fowler.
"It is against this backdrop we have listened to offers where we believed it was right for the long-term financial stability of the football club.
Worries over lopsided balance sheets and hyperinflationary wage bills have now put paid to the kind of multi-million dollar signings that were once the norm.
Newcastle manager Bobby Robson, who unsuccessfully tried to sign Brazil's World Cup midfielder Kleberson last week, criticised the introduction of the transfer window in thepremier league this season, which allow signings and loan deals to be made for only two periods during the year.
"It is unnecessary," Robson said. "This is a vibrant industry and we need to buy and sell. Why reduce that? The market place needs to be open every day."
Middlesbrough, in addition to trying to secure Ricketts, are involved in a loan deal to take Derby striker Malcolm Christie and defender Chris Riggott to the Riverside Stadium.
Southampton, enjoying a fine season, added to their squad by bringing in Prutton on a four-and-a-half year contract.
West Ham United were also active on deadline day, signing defender Rufus Brevett from Fulham for an undisclosed fee.
In loan deals completed on Friday, Morocco international defender Talal El Karkouri has joined Sunderland from Paris St Germain while Bolton have taken on Nantes striker Pierre-Yves Andre.