Transfer deadline day: Liverpool's defensive chase as exciting as it gets to end quiet window

Preston North End's Ben Davies (left) and Reading's Lucas Joao (right) battle for the ball at Deepdale this month. Photo: Barrington Coombs/PA

The impact of the pandemic on football’s finances is becoming clear on transfer deadline day as even Premier League giants scramble around for late loan deals and keep their cheque books firmly closed.

Going into the final day of the window, only eight out of 20 Premier League clubs had signed anyone at all this month, and it soon became clear that the big-money deals of years gone by were not going to happen.