BURNLEY boss Stan Ternent has no regrets after finally selling home-sick striker Dimi Papadopoulos to Panathinaikos.

The Greek U21 skipper finally ended a week of speculation by joining the Athens-based club last night for an undisclosed six-figure fee.

All the cash raised, including a further payment based on appearances and a sell-on clause, will go towards team rebuilding.

And Ternent admitted little-used Papadopoulos, 21, was a necessary sacrifice in the current financial climate.

He said: "Dimi has missed so many games through international commitments and he would be away again this season for the best part of six months with games and training camps ahead of the Olympics.

"I needed to get some dough in to strengthen other areas and I'm sure it will come in handy."

He added: "I never really gave Dimi a great opportunity to show the people of Burnley what he could do, but I don't regret that.

"It was entirely down to circumstances. Gareth Taylor has just had his best season for a long time, and I've got Robbie Blake and Ian Moore, so we are strong up front.

The fee, which I understand could finally be worth around £175,000, represents a major return on the £500,000 Burnley paid Akrititos for Papadopoulos' services in the summer of 2001.

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And following the subsequesnt collapse of the transfer market, the cash should allow Ternent some welcome manoeuvre in his efforts to strengthen a threadbare squad.

The pacy striker made just nine starts in two years, making a further 37 substitute appearances and scoring a total of five goals.

Clarets chairman Barry Kilby cited one further reason for rubber-stamping the striker's return to Greece.

Kilby said: "The offer only came in on Wednesday and Stan and I had a chat on Thursday.

"We were both aware Dimi would be out of contract at the end of next season and could have just walked away for nothing.

"The money Panathinaikos have put up goes straight into Stan's budget and and we feel we can spend that money better in the current climate."

Some of that money could well be spent on wages for 28-year-old former Manchester City defender Richard Edghill.

The former England U21 ace, who failed to find a club last season after ending a 10-year association with City, is joining the Clarets for pre-season training in the hope of earning a contract.