Barnsley manager Keith Hill has vented his frustration after seeing captain Jacob Butterfield leave for Norwich.
Boss blames system as Tykes captain Butterfield departs
Barnsley manager Keith Hill has vented his frustration after seeing captain Jacob Butterfield leave for Norwich.
The 22-year-old rejected a new deal at Oakwell, opting instead to sign a four-year contract at Premier League outfit City on Tuesday.
Hill had previously rejected a "derisory" offer from the Canaries for the midfielder but was powerless to stop him from leaving this summer, with the fee to be decided by a tribunal as he is under the age of 24.
That fee is likely to be well below what Barnsley would have hoped to have received had Butterfield had been under contract
Hill admits he is unhappy to see one of his key players leave in such a manner.
"It's going to go to a tribunal, but we won't get what we deserve for Jacob," Hill told
The Sheffield Star.
The system
"I haven't got any problems with Jacob, we've got a superb relationship, it's the system which I don't like.
"The only people who will benefit from this deal is Norwich City.
"Jacob will be playing for them next season and we might not have had the tribunal to see how much money we'll get for him.
"Jacob's a great player and we'd love to have kept him, but he wanted to play in the Premier League and there was nothing more we could do to keep him.
"I wish him every success. I think Jacob is sometimes misunderstood, but we gave him the platform to develop as a player and I know he takes his football very seriously.
"The offer we got from Norwich was an insult to myself, the club and a massive insult to Jacob Butterfield. I know why Norwich did it. That's what Premier League sides can do."
Business
Despite the frustration, Hill revealed he intends to step-up his plans to strengthen the squad ahead of the new campaign.
"We've got to get on with business and I still want to sign a central midfielder, a winger and a goalkeeper," he added.
"Hopefully we can get a keeper in the building before we go to Marbella for pre-season."
