Paul Lambert may have opted not to bring in any more players before the transfer deadline passed, but he has plenty of opportunities to add to his squad in the coming weeks.

Paul Lambert may have opted not to bring in any more players before the transfer deadline passed, but he has plenty of opportunities to add to his squad in the coming weeks.

In the Football League, loan deals are allowed a week after the window closes while outside of the window clubs can sign players on an emergency basis, with the permission of the authorities.

It wasn't exactly the most exciting finale to a transfer window on a national level either, but one or two player movements were of interest.

For City fans, the sight of David Carney playing in the Premier League might be cause for surprise: the Aussie has moved from FC Twente, having left Sheffield United in the summer. Carney was Bryan Gunn's first signing as City manager when he joined on loan in January, but he failed to shine.

Another ex-City loan player, Jonathan Grounds, left Middlesbrough for Hibernian, where he will join former City youngster David Stephens.

Leicester were the biggest Championship spenders, forking out �3m for Sunderland's 20-year-old striker Martyn Waghorn, who they had on loan last season.

Waghorn scored a dozen goals last term and moved closer to fulfilling the “has a big future” projections of the last couple of years - a new permanent home may help.

Banking the big cheque were Reading, who sold Gylfi Sigurdsson to Hoffenheim for a healthy �6m - not that that will appease the club's supporters.

“The transfer window is tremendously exciting for fans, but it can also create huge disappointment too, and I fear Reading supporters are feeling bluest today after losing their best player Gylfi Sigurdsson to German outfit Hoffenheim in a �6m move,” said Matt Holland in his Football League blog.

“The Icelandic midfielder is someone I noticed last season when I co-commentated on Reading's cup game with Liverpool and ever since I've continued to be hugely impressed.

“For a 20-year-old to have scored 21 goals in 44 matches last season was astonishing - especially for a midfielder. Reading and the npower Championship itself has said goodbye to a player destined for the very top I believe.

“I'm sure Reading will get over his departure though. In recent years they've seen many of their star performers picked up by other clubs yet they continue to compete well in the division.

“They'll be gutted Gylfi has gone but it will only be a matter of time before another good young player emerges at the Madejski.”

It didn't take long to spend some of the cash, with Ian Harte, once rumoured to be a Norwich City target, coming in from Carlisle United for an undisclosed fee.

At 33, Harte might not have bundles of pace remaining, but his left leg helped him to 16 league goals last season - not at all bad for a defender. Plus, Reading will have the Sigurdsson money to spend when the loan window opens this week.

Portsmouth pocketed a much-needed �1.5m by selling Tommy Smith to QPR, who also signed Derby's leading scorer of the last two seasons, the 30-year-old Rob Hulse, prompting the Rams executive chairman Tom Glick on to the defensive.

“Rob has been a great contributor and we acknowledge that when a player like Rob goes there will be disappointment,” he said.

“But ultimately I would have them (the fans) look at the squad Nigel (Clough) has put together, take a look past the temporary injury situation and take a look at what we have in the squad and the style of football we are playing.”