The summer transfer window is yet to open but if today's Championship offerings are anything to go by, the market has already dried up.

The advent of summertime is supposed to herald the start of a couple of glorious months during which transfer gossip - usually ranging from the sublime to the ridiculous - is as easy to come by as a Sylvain Ebanks-Blake (pictured) goal.

But with just four days remaining before the transfer window is flung wide open, gossip columns have been left to feed on scraps when they should be feasting on a banquet of tasty rumours.

That said, at least three concrete deals have gone through as James O'Connor (to Sheffield Wednesday), Gavin Williams (Bristol City), David Jones (Wolves), Mark Gower (Swansea) have all completed moves. Click on the links to the right to read more about them.

That leaves TT with precious little to talk about.

But there is this for a start - after speculation earlier in the week that Sunderland were ready to take Sheffield United striker James Beattie back into the top flight, Blades boss Kevin Blackwell has moved quickly to slam the door shut right in Roy Keane's face.

Normally, that kind of behaviour would result in a volley of verbal abuse and a fat lip but, this being the genteel world of professional football and Keane having mellowed these past few years, the worst Blackwell is likely to receive is a fax containing a formal offer for last season's goal hero.

Meanwhile, Blackwell also has also poured scorn on reports he is hunting Plymouth Argyle midfielder Peter Halmosi. He said: "I am looking for good quality players but some of the people who have been mentioned I do not even know their names."

Elsewhere, ancient Crystal Palace striker Dougie Freedman has ruled out another loan spell in League One with Leeds - but has not ruled out the possibility of a permanent move.

Like most men of a certain age, Freedman wants to plant his roots firmly in one place and says he will only move back to Yorkshire on a full-time basis. The Glaswegian said: "If I was to move to Leeds or another club that's further away, I'd have to do it right and do it properly - it would have to be permanent."

And finally (yes, already), Liverpool youngster Paul Anderson is set to join newly promoted Nottingham Forest on a season-long loan deal.

Mike Hytner / Eurosport