Former Tottenham midfielder Andy Reid completed his third major transfer in as many years last night when he agreed to join the Irish contingent at Sunderland in a deal worth up to €6 million, depending on the 25-year-old's impact at the Stadium of Light over the three and a half years of his contract.
"Andy brings added quality to our side in an area that I felt needed to be strengthened," said Roy Keane after the Dubliner had agreed personal terms and passed a medical at the Premier League outfit.
Reid, who has pulled out of next week's friendly against Brazil because of a knee injury, will have to wait to make his debut in the north east but his arrival will add to Keane's creative options as he seeks to steer his side clear of relegation over the coming months.
The Corkman had set out to land Stephen Hunt from Reading but, despite offering €7.5 million, failed to persuade the club to part with a player who has been one of their most influential figures over the first half of the current campaign.
Reid, though, has the potential to make a major impact at Sunderland with his performances in the Republic's midfield during the latter part of the recent qualifying campaign suggesting that he has matured into a versatile midfielder of genuine quality.
The midfielder's move was by far the most significant involving an Irishman on the day the top flight transfer window closed in Britain.
In Scotland, Aberdeen decided against offering Joe Lapira, the young striker who made his debut for Ireland against Ecuador back in May, a contract after a week-long trial.
The Louisiana-born striker came on in one reserve team game for the SPL outfit but failed to do enough to win a deal from manager Jimmy Calderwood.
"Joseph is a lovely guy and got on very well here, but unfortunately we won't be pursuing our interest in him," an Aberdeen spokesman said last night. "Playing a game over here in January in really windy conditions didn't really suit him and we are very disappointed to say that he will be moving on."
Unless Lapira finds another European club to join, he looks set to head for Toronto FC with the Canadian club, now managed by former Scotland international Mo Johnston, having drawn him in the MLS draft.
Although League of Ireland clubs can continue to recruit players for another four weeks, deadline day in Britain did spark some activity with St Patrick's Athletic leading the way. While the Dublin club announced that Billy Gibson will not be returning for the coming season due to family reasons it has confirmed the signings of Gary Dempsey, Jamie Harris and Joe O'Cearuill.
Dempsey arrives from Yeovil Town having previously played for the Irish youths under Brian Kerr while Harris returns to Richmond Park from Dunfermline where injury problems severely restricted his opportunities over the past year.
O'Cearuill, an established under-21 international who was also with Steve Staunton's squad in the US back in May, moves to the Dublin club from Barnet having previously come through the ranks at Arsenal.
Cork City, meanwhile, have completed the signing of George O'Callaghan from Ipswich Town with the midfielder becoming Alan Mathews' fourth signing of the week.