Bury chairman Stewart Day insists the club are not selling their best players, despite the departure of versatile midfielder David Worrall.
The 23-year-old has joined Rotherham United on a two-year deal to reunite with defender Joe Skarz, another former Shakers player.
Day believes the decision to cut ties with Worrall was in the best interest of the club after the player’s agent sought an exit.
“I wanted to make it clear to any fan that feels we are selling our best players that this is definitely not the case,” he told the club website.
“I was approached by the agent of David Worrall and it was made clear to me that the player no longer wished to play for the club.
“I stated that he was part of the manager’s plans and the new board wanted him to stay.
“He made it clear that if we did not allow him to move, then the player would exercise his rights to move as soon as he was contractually entitled.”
Regardless of the loss, Day is adamant the club are looking for players who are hungry and determined to succeed at Gigg Lane.
“The next few weeks will demonstrate the quality of players we have targeted to bring into this club.
“We do not want to keep any player that is not prepared to give this club 100 percent.”
Worrall, who is the fourth capture for the Millers, affirmed his desire to team up with manager Steve Evans after admitting to club troubles last season.
“I spoke with Joe Skarz who I knew at Bury, looked around the stadium and knew it was a great move for me,” he told Rotherham’s club website.
“I spent five years at Bury where there were many ups at the start but last season was a struggle.
“As soon as I spoke to Rotherham and learned about what the manager had planned I jumped at the chance to sign.”
For more on this story and many others, follow Mancunian Matters on Twitter and Facebook.
