Chelsea wasted no time replacing Andre Schurrle as Juan Cuadrado completed his big-money move to Stamford Bridge.
After a relatively quiet afternoon, deadline day finally kicked into life, with confirmation of Schurrle's move to Wolfsburg coming at 17:30 (21:30, UAE time). An hour after announcing the Schurrle deal, Chelsea confirmed they had signed Cuadrado from Fiorentina.
Chelsea are said to have paid up to 26.8 million pounds (Dh147.8m) for the Colombian winger, who was one of the stars of the World Cup.
The fee is the biggest paid out on deadline day so far and the second biggest of the window, with only Wilfried Bony's move to Manchester City costing more.
"I am very happy and thankful for this opportunity I have been given," Cuadrado said. "This is a great club and honestly it is like a dream to join the Chelsea family and to know that the manager believes in me. I'm happy."
In addition, Chelsea's Egypt international Mohamed Salah has moved to Florence as part of the deal.
Elsewhere, Southampton completed the loan signing of Benfica's Filip Djuricic.
Having added Eljero Elia earlier in the window, manager Ronald Koeman was not planning to bring in any new faces to St Mary's.
However, mounting injury problems and Jack Cork's move to Swansea has led Saints to act, with Serbia international Djuricic arriving on loan until the end of the season.
Robert Huth's loan move to Leicester from Stoke was one of the few other confirmed transfers in the Premier League.
The 30-year-old German will bolster the Foxes' options as they fight to stay in the top flight having already brought in Croatia striker Andrej Kramaric for a club-record 9m pounds (Dh49.6m) fee.
Huth will, however, serve a two-game ban following a misconduct charge from the Football Association and so will not be available until next week's trip to Arsenal.
"There's plenty of competition. I'm not expecting to walk into the team. I know I have to prove my worth," he said.
Meanwhile, Wilfried Zaha's ill-fated spell at Manchester United is over, with the 22-year-old rejoining Crystal Palace on a permanent deal.
"Two years ago, the winger's outstanding displays in south London led United to come calling, paying a fee which could have reached up to 15m pounds (Dh82.7m). However, Zaha has spent much of that time on-loan and has left Old Trafford after just four appearances to rejoin the Eagles for an undisclosed fee, signing a five-and-a-half-year contract.
United have stressed Adnan Januzaj will not leave Manchester, and the future of Darren Fletcher remains up in the air.
Fletcher had a medical at West Ham on Friday, but the move collapsed after West Ham moved the goal posts, insisting any deal would have to be temporary, rather than permanent.
United's unwanted midfielder Anderson was having a medical with Brazilian side Internacional after being granted a free transfer away from Old Trafford.
QPR boss Harry Redknapp, usually one of the busiest managers on deadline day, was uncharacteristically quiet. However, QPR chairman Tony Fernandes wrote on his official 'Twitter account: "If something interesting comes up we would look at it. But I'm not optimistic. Given the right motivation, tactics and coaching we can achieve much more."
In the Championship, former Everton striker Yakubu join Reading on a free transfer after leaving Qatari side Al Rayyan.
