READING and Southampton were surprisingly quiet on transfer deadline day.

There was frantic activity around Europe on Monday, with many top clubs making last minute additions to their squads – but no new players arrived at either the Madejski Stadium or St Mary’s.

Indeed, both clubs allowed a player to leave. Centre-back Adrian Mariappa left Reading to join Crystal Palace for around £3million, while Southampton sent striker Emmanuel Mayuka on a season-long loan to French side Sochaux.

Reading’s lack of action is something of a surprise as manager Nigel Adkins revealed he was looking to strengthen the squad after Saturday’s win over Yeovil.

“I’ve said I want to bring in three players and we’ll have to see what materialises,” the Royals boss had said. “I want us to strengthen. I want us to go up so I’ll keep banging the door as much as I can.”

However, while they were linked with a number of players, most notably Stoke striker Cameron Jerome, nothing materialised.

Their only deadline day business saw Mariappa, who was one of Reading’s better players as they were relegated from the Premier League last season, join Crystal Palace.

Adkins is expected to bring in former Liverpool midfielder Momo Sissoko, who has been released by Paris Saint-Germain and can be signed after the deadline as a free agent. If that goes ahead, he will be the Royals’ fourth signing of the summer, joining Wayne Bridge, Royston Drenthe and Danny Williams at the club.

Southampton manager Mauricio Pochettino got his business done early, signing defender Dejan Lovren, midfielder Victor Wanyama and striker Dani Osvaldo well before the end of the window.

They were expected to move several players on before the end of the window, but Mayuka was the only player to leave, meaning the likes of Billy Sharp, Lee Barnard, Jonathan Forte and Tadanari Lee remain at the club.

Neither Reading nor Southampton are in action this weekend due to the international break. Basingstoke born midfielder Tom Cleverley has been named in the England squad for the games against Moldova and Ukraine.