Roy Hodgson revealed that the three new additions this week had been targets of his and the club's from the beginning of the transfer window.
On our signing from tomorrow's opposition, Everton, Hodgson said: “He [McCarthy] certainly was our target from early on in the transfer window. But of course there were problems with the transfer fee, our valuation and Everton’s. I believe the transfer fee we actually paid is very different to the transfer fee that is being suggested.
“We are pleased to have him, there’s no doubt about that. A transfer target for me in this window and one Steve Parish; I believe he was a major transfer target from several years ago.