Big-spending Toffees 5-2 to finish best of the rest
The Premier League's big six mainly kept their powder dry on transfer-deadline day and it was left to those outside of the elite to spend serious money looking to make up ground on the top dogs.
Everton, 5-2 favourites with Coral in the betting without Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham and Arsenal, were expected to be busy and lived up to that with Barcelona confirming deals for Yerry Mina and Andre Gomes, while Bernard arrived on a free transfer following his exit from Shakhtar.
Marco Silva needed to reshape the Toffees squad and will be hoping he has done enough with those two and attacking creator Bernard joining winger Richarlison and left-back Lucas Digne in arriving at Goodison Park.
However, the battle without the big six looks set to be a hot race with 9-2 shots Wolves bringing in Leander Dendoncker from Anderlecht, initially on loan before the deal is made permanent next season.
Dendoncker can play either as a centre-back or defensive midfielder and Leicester, 5-1 in the market, also strengthened their rearguard with the arrivals of centre-backs Caglar Soyuncu and Filip Benkovic.
Soyuncu was superb in the Bundesliga and looks an excellent signing for £19m and the Foxes also managed to hold on to England's World Cup cult hero Harry Maguire.
Fulham, who are 9-2 for a top-half finish and a juicy-looking 45 points on the seasonal handicap, showed ambition with several signings.
Bristol City left-back Joe Bryan solved a problematic position and goalkeeper Sergio Rico signed from Sevilla before the 5pm deadline, but the real fun started in the extended two hours secured to complete the signings of Atletico Madrid forward Luciano Vietto and Manchester United full-back Timothy Fosu-Mensah and Marseille's defensive midfielder Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa.
West Ham finished their busy summer with Colombian midfield anchor Carlos Sanchez joining from Fiorentina and Arsenal forward Lucas Perez arriving from Arsenal. However, the Hammers lost highly-rated youngster Domingos Quina to Watford.
Newcastle boosted their squad numbers with centre-back Federico Fernandez signing from Swansea, who also lost Sam Clucas to Sky Bet Championship rivals Stoke.
Mateo Kovacic's loan deal from Real Madrid to Chelsea was rubber-stamped with Thibaut Courtois heading in the other direction in a much-anticipated deal, otherwise it was a quiet afternoon for big six.
Tottenham became the first team in the Premier League not to sign a player since the introduction of the summer window in 2003, although Spurs remain odds-on at 4-5 to finish in the four Champions League qualifying spots this season.
Hills reacted to Manchester United's lack of activity by cutting Jose Mourinho to 9-2 in the Premier League sack race.