HUDDERSFIELD Town could potentially collect £6m for Jacob Butterfield.

They got four times what Derby County originally offered for the midfield ace, and 10 times what they paid for him, in the long drawn-out deal which has divided supporters.

I understand the Rams’ first bid for the reigning Player of the Year who went in a deadline-day transfer which tops £5m – and could potentially reach that £6m mark with add-ons – was ‘just’ £1.25m.

It was made during the build-up to Town’s home Championship game against Brighton and Hove Albion, in which the 25-year-old scored the last of his seven Town goals.

Despite making it clear he wanted to join the Rams, Butterfield (right) featured, and did well, in Town’s next two games, at Fulham and at home to QPR, taking his appearance tally to 52.

There’s no doubt Town benefited from Butterfield’s presence just as he benefited from the platform he was given after more turbulent times at Middlesbrough and Norwich City.

Town told the player, who was just 12 months into a four-year contract agreed when he moved from Boro for £500,000, Derby would have to make an offer ‘they couldn’t reuse’.

It’s believed at least three more came – and went – before Butterfield, who while at Barnsley missed a big move to the Premier League through injury, got his wish and Town their ‘war chest’.

Chairman Dean Hoyle has said new blood is being sought in addition to Town’s three recent loan acquisitions, Jamie Paterson, Mustapha Carayol and Emyr Huws.

But he also insisted time will be taken to get the right man, or men, and repeated that selling key players will continue to be a central part of the club’s blueprint for long-term progress.

Town would argue the likes of Anthony Pilkington and Jordan Rhodes, the only player to yield a higher pay day for the club than Butterfield, have left and progress has still been made.

Time will tell if they can continue that trend in the wake of Butterfield’s departure, which Town say was on good terms.