Cardiff City boss Neil Harris says "financial reasons" played a part in the decision to sell Callum Paterson to Sheffield Wednesday.
Scotland international Paterson, 25, has joined Cardiff's Championship rivals for an undisclosed fee.
The utility player was under contract until 2022 but he had not featured for the first team this season.
"It's not just about financial decisions, it's about footballing decisions as well," Harris said.
"Ultimately players have to be happy whether they are getting a chance immediately or getting a chance weeks down the line.
"It's an opportunity from Callum's perspective and there's the pecking order, with the strikers we have brought into the building."
Harris said his post match comments following last Saturday's 2-1 home defeat by Nottingham Forest about his knowledge of the deal had been "misconstrued."
The Cardiff boss insisted he and the club's board had worked together as "a unit" in agreeing the deal.
"We brought Kieffer Moore in at the start of the window as our main summer signing, obviously the pecking order adjusts as to who gets an opportunity and when," Harris added.
"I've always been very clear that if people want to go in search of first-team football sooner than they might be offered here I have no issue with that, I'm very understanding.
"Kieffer Moore has had a great start with us, we have Robert Glatzel who the club paid a lot of money for and who did very well post lockdown and young Mark Harris is coming through.
"Yes we have to balance the books, of course we do financially. I have talked openly - as has the chairman Mehmet Dalman - about the finances.
Following his departure Paterson said in an Instagram post he was "disappointed I wasn't needed any more" but Harris said there had been no issues between him and the player.
"Callum had a great attitude to play and train, a very diligent boy," Harris said.
"What people put on social media when they sign for a club and leave for a club is no concern of mine."
Harris said he would like to "add to the group" but was not working to the immediate 5 October transfer window, rather the domestic deal only window which closes on 16 October .
"Vincent (Tan - the owner) has supported this club hugely for many a year and continues to do so," he said.
" We are looking at options in all scenario and we will have to see where that takes us in the next couple of weeks.
"I am not a person who is going to spend money on a whim or spending somebody else's money without getting the right person.
"We have to look at whose available - that's the biggest thing - but we have to balance the books as well. We have done that so far and adding one or two will be a nice finish to the window."
Harris hopes to have defender Joe Bennett and midfielder Joe Ralls available again after injury for Saturday's Championship encounter at Blackburn.