BURNLEY manager Steve Cotterill insists he won't panic buy before the transfer window closes next week, despite their defensive numbers being reduced with last night's sale of Stephen Foster to Championship rivals Barnsley.

The 26-year-old's departure comes on the back of Wayne Thomas' £1.2million move to Southampton last week, resulting in a profit of £1.3m for the Clarets as both players were signed on free transfers.

Cotterill's capture of Clarke Carlisle from Watford on a three-year deal, on the same day as the Thomas transfer, cost £200,000, while the Burnley boss still has a portion of the remaining profit to spend on further targets.

But he is adamant that he was not seeing the transfer deadline, at midnight on August 31, as the last chance to strengthen his squad before the window re-opens in January.

"Seven days after that you can go again," Cotterill said, referring to the option to exercise loan deals.

And he admitted he would play his cards close to his chest with regard to any potential transfers in the meantime.

"There's too much speculation at the moment. Who we'll sign, who we won't sign; who we need, who we don't need," he said.

"We know what we need, and every day we're at it. I know what we're trying to achieve and where we're trying to get.

"I'm not about to speak to anyone about anything.

"I spoke to a manager (on Wednesday) and an agent without even my staff knowing about it, and I told them afterwards, so I like to keep things tight because I think that benefits us in the long run.

"But it's a long hard road at the moment, trying to find perhaps those couple of extra players that we want, because there isn't many about, and those that are looking are probably looking for the same people and at the same people. However, they've got to be better (than what we've got).

"I can throw 10 names at you, but if they're not going to be anything better ... and also I can throw another 10 names at you that might be better, but we can't afford them, or the fees that are going around are unrealistic, and the wages are unrealistic.

"We still have a budget here."

Meanwhile, Cotterill was full of praise for former Crewe Alexandra captain Foster, who has signed a two-year deal at Oakwell.

The Warrington-born defender has been a long-term target for Barnsley, initially for former manager Andy Ritchie.

He turned down the Tykes' approach in favour of joining the Clarets in June last year. But he found his first team opportunities limited in his 14 months at Turf Moor, making just 10 starts, the last of which came in the Carling Cup first round win over Grimsby Town in the opening week of the season.

Cotterill described him as "a good servant" to Burnley, adding: "We got him on a free transfer last year and he's perhaps been unable to break right in and play in the starting line-up all the time.

"For the second time in about 10 days we've received a good fee, so for someone who we got on a free transfer and then sold for £100,000 is a good deal for us.

"So we were happy to let him move on and maybe start playing some regular football.

"He's a great lad, as regards that we will miss him.

"He's been a very good team member. A very good squad member, but obviously he wanted to play some football.

"He didn't ask to leave. He was very good in his approach. Anybody who's spoken to him will know what a delightful lad he is.

"But things move on don't they? As I've said before it's a transitional sport. People come, people go, and it's Steve Foster's time this week I suppose really."