Chris Powell says Huddersfield Town have given sought-after Jacob Butterfield the platform to flourish.
The John Smith’s Stadium club have now turned down three bids from Derby County for their star midfielder.
That has left the Rams considering moves for either Brighton and Hove Albion’s Dale Stephens or Nottingham Forest’s Henri Lansbury.
Town are being linked with Barnsley’s Conor Hourihane, but sources suggest he is only one of a long list of potential targets now the club have cash from the sale of goalkeeper Alex Smithies to QPR.
Town have until 6pm on Tuesday, September 1, to make any permanent signings, with the loan window opening a week after that.
And Powell, speaking ahead of the Championship game at Fulham, says he is confident Butterfield, whose goal sealed Tuesday’s 1-1 home draw with Brighton, can carry on as normal despite all the speculation.
“Jacob isn’t just a top player – he is a top professional, and showed it the other night,” said the boss.
“There was a lot of talk in the build-up to the Brighton game, but Jacob was fine, and he has been excellent ever since I arrived here.”
Butterfield was signed for a reported £800,000 from Middlesbrough a month before Powell’s appointment last September.
“Jacob had a lot of plaudits when he was a young player at Barnsley and got his moves to Norwich City, then Middlesbrough,” said Powell.
“But he had a setback with an injury, managers moved on, and things didn’t really work for him.
“I knew I had a good player when I arrived, but I had to get to know him.
“He is two-footed, he can dribble, he can drive forward, he can pass and he can beat a player. But you have to put him in a position to do that.
“I knew I had to let him express himself, and that we had to be right around him.
“And I think he is one of those types who thrives on knowing he will be playing.
“He played regular football last season, and he was pretty consistent, and hopefully that will happen again.”
