Jon Walters will still be a Stoke City player when he trains for the first time this week with the Ireland squad. The 31-year-old had been linked with a move to Norwich City, West Brom or Leicester but saw the prospect of a deal evaporate as Mark Hughes failed to sign Mile Jedinak from Crystal Palace.
Hughes had made it clear the striker would only be allowed to leave if they could add another player to their squad, with midfielder Jedinak seen as an attractive option.
Personal terms
The two clubs reportedly agreed a fee but when the player apparently sought improved personal terms, things fell apart. As the window closed, Walters sent out a joke tweet to inform Louis van Gaal that no helicopter would be needed as he wouldn’t be leaving Stoke after all.
Elsewhere, Cardiff City turned down the opportunity to make back the €1.2 million that they paid for Eoin Doyle back in February but they allowed the striker to head for Preston North End on a season long loan instead.
Eoghan O'Connell left Celtic for Oldham on loan. The 20-year-old centre back from Cork, who has played a handful of games for the Scottish champions including one in the league this season, will be likely to get regular first team football under Darren Kelly.
“It is a very good signing,” said Kelly, a former Derry City defender.
“He is a versatile player who will be a big asset to the team.”
Connor Smith (22) has again gone out on loan from Watford, with the midfielder joining Stevenage, while Kevin Feely has had his contract with Newport County cancelled by mutual agreement.
Debut
West Ham's Josh Cullen, who has been named in Noel King's latest under-21 international squad, has signed a new four-year deal with the club, while Chris Forrester made his debut for Peterborough United last night against Millwall having left St Patrick's Athletic at the weekend.
Former Dundalk loanee Michael Herrick made one of the more surprising moves of the day with Chelsea paying Reading around €5.3 million for the defender who played at Oriel Park during the 2011 season.
The players has been getting good reviews and the Premier League champions might have been taken too with the way he appears to take being sent out on loan in his stride.
He had 11 spells away from Reading in his six years with the club and, somewhat inevitably, Chelsea loaned him straight back to the Madejski.
