Norwich City will go with what they've got for the rest of the year after transfer deadline day passed off relatively quietly at Carrow Road – with Jacob Butterfield's departure the only noteworthy business.
On a day that saw the Premier League break its previous summer transfer window spending record of £500m by more than £100m, City chief executive David McNally confirmed 30 minutes before the 11pm deadline that City's incoming business was done for the year.
But it was not until 20 minutes into Tuesday that Boro confirmed their signing of 23-year-old Butterfield on a two-year deal with an option for a third.
The attacking midfielder who signed from Barnsley 13 months ago made just three appearances for the Canaries, all of them in cup competitions. Butterfield also spent time on loan at Bolton and Crystal Palace.
The closest City appeared to come to recruiting during the day was a bid to sign West Ham United forward Ricardo Vaz Te on loan, seemingly to help cover the long-term loss of Elliott Bennett to a knee ligament injury.
But City and the Hammers were unable to broker a deal – despite Vaz Te's rather public falling out with United manager Sam Allardyce last week.
Stoke winger Michael Kightly was momentarily linked with a similar move to the Canaries, before joining Championship outfit Burnley for the rest of the campaign.
And recent reports of interest in another loan target, Atalanta winger James Troisi, also failed to manifest into a signing.
In terms of other members of Chris Hughton's squad heading in the opposite direction, the speculation rumbled right up to the deadline. Middlesbrough also continued to be linked with Dani Ayala and Luciano Becchio – two avenues that could be revisited once the Football League loan window opens next week.
Boro also brought in former City loanee striker Kei Kamara on a two-year deal from Sporting Kansas City.
While long-time summer targets Fabio Quagliarella and Ola Toivonen stayed put at Juventus and PSV Eindhoven respectively, former Norwich goalkeeper Lee Camp – released in the summer – signed a rolling contract until January at West Brom, while one-time City loanee Dani Pacheco finally left Liverpool for Spanish second-tier side Alcorcon.
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