It was a quiet end to the transfer window at Middlesbrough where the most important moves may prove to be the ones that didn't happen.
Hayden Hackney remains a Boro player despite late Premier League interest from Nottingham Forest.
Forest made two bids for the 23-year-old over the final 48 hours of the window but neither came remotely close to forcing Boro to seriously consider their position.
To lose their driving force in midfield at a time when Boro are second in the table would have been a massive own goal for two reasons.
Firstly, in the view of many experienced judges, Hackney has developed into one of the best, if not the best, central midfielders in the Championship this season.
He had clearly made a step up under Rob Edwards at the start of this season and now Kim Hellberg seems to have unlocked even more of his potential with Hackney marauding around the park, breaking up attacks, leading the charge forward and scoring spectacular goals.
Secondly, this season is Boro's best chance of winning promotion in a decade. What message would selling Hackney have given to a fanbase thirsting for a return to the Premier League, let alone Hellberg's squad?
The other man fans are thankful remains on Teesside is Matt Targett. There was a real concern Newcastle would recall their on-loan full-back because of a defensive injury crisis at St James' Park.
Targett has been outstanding for Boro this season and has helped them through a defensive crisis of their own, filling in at centre-half at a time when there wasn't a single fit central defender at the club.
Boro freshened up their attack in the window with the arrivals of Jeremy Sarmiento and Leo Castledine, while Finley Munroe is a long-term bet at left-back. Perhaps the biggest plus of the window was getting Adilson Malanda registered, six months after signing him from Charlotte FC (Boro had to immediately loan him back under the terms of the deal).
The defender has become an immediate fixture at the heart of the defence and has looked completely unflappable to date.
Fans' concerns will revolve around the failure to sign a striker. Boro had initial discussions with Southampton over a move for Adam Armstrong. The striker was keen on a move back to his native North East but as soon as Wolverhampton Wanderers stepped in, Boro knew they were about to become embroiled in a bidding war they could never hope to win and withdrew.
The loan departures of Delano Burgzorg and Abdoulaye Kante seem unlikely to damage the promotion push.
The key to the season will be whether Hellberg can get the best out of Tommy Conway and fit again David Strelec, while keeping the pair of them in shape for the last 16 games of the season.
Do that, and Boro may well be celebrating a return to the top flight come the start of May.
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