PHIL Parkinson admits the sale of Zach Clough may have been a necessary evil to ease financial pressure on the club.

Nottingham Forest managed to snap the 21-year-old striker up minutes before deadline for a reported fee of £3million plus add-ons.

The news hit hard among Wanderers fans, particularly after chairman Ken Anderson had pledged the Whites’ young stars would not leave in the window unless a significant offer was received.

Parkinson was disappointed to lose a player who has supplied his side with nine goals this season, and who was among the most creative in the squad.

But the manager urged Bolton fans to take into consideration the financial issues which have stacked up this season – which include his squad being paid their January wage late.

“No manager likes to lose his best players,” he told The Bolton News.

“But when the contract offered to the player is a life-changing one it is difficult to stand in their way.

“More importantly it eases the financial burden on the football club, the uncertainty.

“If it was needed to take some pressure off paying wages, or making sure we don’t get winding up orders then it will help everyone.

“I didn’t want to lose Zach but there is a bigger picture.”

Clough sent a message of thanks to the supporters via his Twitter account after ending a long association with the club that started at the age of eight.

And Parkinson paid tribute to his

“We wish him all the best,” he said. “I have to give him every credit for the way he has conducted himself under a lot of speculation, not just this week but also the previous transfer window.

“You look at how other professionals and how they have handled that kind of thing but Zach has never given me a moment’s problem.”

Meanwhile, Wanderers are waiting on clearance from the Football League to sign ex-Bradford City winger Filipe Morais.

The Portuguese wide man was released on Tuesday at Valley Parade and is well known to Parkinson, who signed him from Stevenage in 2014.

“We are actively looking to bring in some free agents to further enhance the team with the two available slots open to us,” Ken Anderson confirmed yesterday.

Anderson also voiced his thoughts on the Clough transfer via a statement on the official website.

He said: "It was a very tough decision to let Zach go, especially as he had been at the club since a very young age.

"We received several bids for him and we held out to get the best offer we could for him. The deal helps us out from a financial point of view during what is a very challenging time and we didn’t want to stand in his way. 

"Everybody at the club would like to thank him for serving Bolton Wanderers with such distinction and we wish him well for the future."