The concept that most deals are done weeks in advance of deadline day but not announced until the last minute so the teams that sign the players just don't get the benefit of those players playing for them for those weeks is one of the stranger things I've heard in a while, I have to admit.

Be like dropping a bunch of money on a 3 year lease for a Maserati and them telling you they can deliver it next week and saying "actually, just deliver it in a couple of months, wasn't planning to use it anyway". Bizarre.