Parachute payments totalling £48 million over four seasons means the Clarets do not need to sell to free up funds for their Championship assault.

But former Burnley striker Paul Fletcher believes a profit of £4.5m on last summer’s top scorer and £3m record buy made good business sense, and now allows manager Brian Laws even more room for manoeuvre in the transfer market this summer as he plots a Premier League return.

The Clarets, who will be among the favourites for promotion when the next season kicks off on August 7, had already brought in midfielder Dean Marney from Hull City for around £500,000 and striker Chris Iwelumo from Wolves, for an undisclosed fee, when Steven Fletcher made the switch to Molineux earlier this month.

They have since had a £1.5m offer, with £1.5m add-ons, turned down by Hearts for in-demand winger Andrew Driver and, after turning their attentions to Cardiff City wide man Peter Whittingham, had a £1.7m bid rejected by the South Wales club last week.

Clarets chief Fletcher refuted the idea his namesake’s departure was inevitable once Burnley were relegated back to the Championship after just one season in the top flight, even though the ex-Hibs star left the Scottish Premier League less than a year ago to play at the top level in England.

But he insists Wolves’ interest in the Scotland international was too substantial to ignore.

“Nothing’s inevitable,” said chief executive Fletcher.

“It’s quite a sizeable chunk of money that he has gone for.

“It’s a serious amount.”