Just when it seemed like all Football League recruitment was done as Deadline Day spilled into the early hours of February 1st, came the sudden late announcement that Burton Albion had prised one of non league's brightest talents in Josh Walker from Dagenham & Redbridge.
The pacy forward's fantastic half-season, containing twelve goals in 26 games across all competitions, has enticed the League One Brewers to pay an undisclosed fee that releases him from a contract with two-and-a-half years remaining.
It significantly enhances their chances of preventing relegation to League Two, against which they remain in a fierce battle, but is consequentially very detrimental to Dagenham's hopes of securing promotion there.
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What to expect from Josh Walker?
Josh Walker was among the purest finishers in the National League, slightly underrated in that regard, capable of manufacturing opportunities through his own rapid pace and silky footwork as well as service from elsewhere.
Though a largely confidence-fuelled player who suffered intermittent goal droughts at Dagenham, when on form the 25 year-old is borderline unplayable, and that was certainly the case more often than not.
Certainly since the turn of the new year, since which he has been one of the division's most in-form players: a late headed winner at Maidstone United, clinical deficit-halver at home to Woking then brace against Aldershot Town.
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A boost for the Brewers
After losing their main man Victor Adeboyejo to Bolton Wanderers, it was top priority for Burton Albion to sign a replacement striker to provide the firepower desperately needed in a relegation battle.
Cole Stockton and Josh Umerah were both linked to no avail, then at some point attention eventually turned to Josh Walker, who becomes the tenth arrival at the Pirelli Stadium throughout the January transfer window.
He follows Jordan Amissah, Mark Helm, Craig MacGillivray, Dale Taylor, Zac Ashworth, Jasper Moon, Charlie Kirk, Gassan Ahadme and Sam Lavelle into the building - leaving the Brewers in a far stronger position than they started it.
Walker in action against former club Barnet. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
Daggers dented
Having propelled themselves into play-off contention largely through the attacking contributions of Walker, this news comes as a seismic blow to their ambitions, as nobody besides him has looked capable of scoring recently.
That's not to say the other strikers at the club are shabby, quite the opposite with Paul McCallum, Junior Morias and Ángelo Balanta all very impressive players at this level. The latter's return from injury in the coming weeks will come at the ideal time.
However, that the other two have not scored a league goal between them since October does not bode well, and each need to rediscover their form rapidly. Reinvesting the transfer fee on another player from the same division or lower is also not out of the question.
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McMahon's parting message
Dagenham & Redbridge manager Daryl McMahon signed Josh Walker on a free transfer in the summer of 2021, correctly stating that the player was good enough to move up the leagues.
The Irishman bid a fond farewell to his departed number seven, stating in the club press release:
"Although we are gutted to lose a player of Josh’s quality, we couldn’t stand in the way of a great move for him in his career.
"The club has always had a proud history of picking up players and developing them and Josh is another one that falls into that bracket. Both my staff and myself have loved working with him as he is a fantastic character as well as a top talent and we wish him the best in the future and hope he continues to develop and flourish."
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Walker's parting message
Josh Walker himself reciprocated the sentiment towards the club, writing in a Twitter post:
''Thank you to my teammates, the staff and fans at Dagenham & Redbridge for making it such a memorable 18 months for me. I've loved every minute of it.
''However, the time has come for me to move on and it's an opportunity I couldn't turn down. I wish my teammates and the club all the best for the future.''