Last-place Queens Park Rangers was the most active, signing defender Christopher Samba from Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala for a reported club-record fee of 12 million pounds ($19 million) while Peter Crouch is on the list of strikers manager Harry Redknapp is actively chasing.

Meanwhile, Stoke remained hopeful Thursday of its proposed signing of United States winger Brek Shea from FC Dallas in the MLS as well as goalkeeper Jack Butland from Birmingham.

The Staffordshire club announced earlier this week that they had reached agreement with Dallas over the transfer of the 22-year-old Shea, who has passed a medical and took part in Stoke’s training session Thursday. Approval is pending an FA appeals hearing.

Norwich bought Argentine striker Luciano Becchio from Leeds, third-bottom Wigan brought in Austria defender Paul Scharner on loan from Hamburg and Fulham took Netherlands midfielder Urby Emanuelson from AC Milan on loan.

Aside from champion Manchester City, which sealed the transfer of Italy striker Mario Balotelli to Milan, England’s top teams were quiet on a slow day compared to previous January windows.

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