Stoke City chief executive Tony Scholes has admitted that the decision to sell Nathan Collins to Burnley was a tough one but he feels the club have benefited overall.

The 20-year-old was highly-rated by all at the club and he featured in 22 games for the Potters last season. However, several top-flight clubs had been linked with the Irishman over the years and Burnley managed to finalise a deal for the defender in the summer.

Given the financial climate, that allowed Michael O'Neill to reinvest the money into his squad. And, speaking to Stoke-On-Trent Live, Scholes explained why he felt it was the right decision from the club.

"It’s one of the things we’ve not done in the past because it’s not been the desire of the owners, certainly. But if you look up and down the country, the vast majority of clubs do trade.

"Sometimes if you get a good offer for a player, it’s the right thing to do to accept that offer, then reinvest and grow the squad in that manner."

The verdict

You can understand why Stoke didn't want to lose Collins, because he is a very talented player who could've become a key man at Stoke in the future.

But, the club has to be above all else. Manchester United, Liverpool and every club on the planet has sold players they wouldn't have wanted to at some point or another, so it's about ensuring you benefit from that overall.

With Stoke, it appears they have done that, as a very impressive summer window has left the squad looking strong, so you'd have to say it was the right decision.

Thoughts? Let us know in the comments below.