Brentford failed to add to their first team squad in the transfer window, while they saw Toumani Diagouraga, Jota and James Tarkowski depart.

The window has been dominated by the prospect of players leaving the club with only talisman Alan Judge staying at Griffin Park of the players tipped to depart.

Talk of players coming in has been brief, although Dean Smith was keen to bolster his midfield, and no first-team players came through the gates at Griffin Park.

Elsewhere in the Championship, promotion chasers Middlesbrough, Burnley and Derby all invested heavily with Boro splashing out £11million to sign Jordan Rhodes, the Clarets spending big on James Tarkowski, while the Rams added three players for the first team.

The fact that Middlesbrough made one of the biggest January deals shows how quiet it was around the country.

Here's a look back at how the January transfer window unfolded for Brentford.

What did they need?

Brentford manager Dean Smith

Dean Smith made it clear that he was keen on adding a midfielder and a winger, although a large proportion of supporters felt adding to the striking options would be needed.

George Evans was his prime target but Brentford lost out to Reading, which would have been a blow to Smith, as he knew the former Manchester City youngster from his time at Walsall.

Brentford also needed to replace the players who left the club.

James Tarkowski has been replaced by Yoann Barbet, a more natural left-sided defender with Jack O'Connell pushing him for a place.

Both Barbet and O'Connell are left-sided players and that leaves Harlee Dean as the only right-footed centre back option. Were he to suffer and injury or suspension it would mean one of the two would have to play out of position.

Diagouraga's role can be replaced by Josh McEachran and Ryan Woods with Alan McCormack, who is currently suffering from a string of minor injuries, available as back-up.

Jota's absence will lessen Smith's options in the attacking third though.

What did they get?

Deals extended: Sergi Canos and John Swift

John Swift and Sergi Canos extended their loans with the club but this was an easy decision for the player, Brentford and parent clubs Chelsea and Liverpool respectively and don't count as new signings.

Aside from that, Emmanuel Onariase and Nathan Fox joined on development squad contracts.

Jermaine Udumaga returned from his loan at Wycombe which doesn't really count as a player coming in.

It's been a damp squib of a transfer window as far as Brentford have been concerned as they haven't been able to get out the signing pen and paper for a first-team player.

There has also been a cull of development squad players the club feel won't make the grade, including Montell Moore who was once seen as the next big thing at the club.

Are Brentford stronger or weaker?

Returned to Spain: Jota

It is obvious that Brentford's squad is weaker now than it was at the start of the transfer window. The Bees lost three players who would be first-team regulars when fit and on-form and haven't replaced them. The biggest positive was Alan Judge staying at the club.

James Tarkowski's refusal to play against Burnley meant that he had to be shipped out of the door and the Bees got a good fee for him.

Toumani Diagouraga served Brentford well for six years and the club received half a million more than they would have taken for him in the summer of 2014.

To an extent, Jota can be considered a summer departure due to his injury on the opening day of the season but still left in the window.

There is the loan window where Brentford can replace the players who have left on a short-term basis but there is a problem.

Clubs are only prepared to loan out their young players if they are going to get game time. Will bringing a player in to provide cover be worthwhile for the club if it risks damaging the relationship with a Premier League side?

Off the books: Wantaway James Tarkowski

The failure to sign players could be interpreted as the club raising a white flag to their promotion hopes for the season as they prepare their summer business.

Financially, Brentford are much better off after the sales of Tarkowski and Diagouraga.

Preparations for the 2016/17 campaign are already gathering pace and GetWestLondon understands the Bees are close to agreeing pre-contract deals with targets.

The money raised in January is likely to be reinvested in the summer, where Brentford will struggle to keep Alan Judge, meaning they can be in a much stronger position to challenge at the sharp end of the Championship table.

It could be seen better business to take a step back now and be able to sign the right players at the right price in the summer than add to the squad for the sake of adding to it.

All of Brentford's ins and outs

In: Emmanuel Onariase* (West Ham United) Nathan Fox* (Cray Wanderers)

Out: James Tarkowski (Burnley) Toumani Diagouraga (Leeds United), Jota (Eibar - loan), Josh Laurent* (released), Ryan Williams* (released), Montell Moore* (released), James Ferry* (Welling - loan), Daniel O'Shaughnessy* (FC Midtjylland - loan), Mark Smith* (Lowestoft Town – loan)

*non first-team players.