Harry Redknapp has accused Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu of breaking a promise of joining Birmingham City after the Ghana international completed a loan move to Bursaspor.
The midfielder's season-long switch from Udinese was confirmed by the Turkish club on Thursday, and while Badu has told KweseESPN he's delighted to have opted for the Super Lig, his decision has left some sour grapes in the Championship.
In an interview with talkSPORT, Redknapp has revealed his disappointment at missing out on the 26-year-old.
"I did a deal the other day for a lad from Udinese -- Badu -- a Ghanaian boy and top midfield player," Redknapp began. "I drove to Huddersfield to watch him play.
"It took me six-and-a-half hours to get to Huddersfield, met him after and then spoke to him two days ago and he gave me his word on the phone that he wanted to play for me.
"He is a really good player, his value is £6 million, and we were going to loan him for a year," the former Tottenham Hotspur coach continued. "I wake up the next morning and he has signed for a Turkish club!"
Badu's decision appears to have left the 70-year-old with much work do to in the transfer market before the window slams shut.
"It has been difficult," he concluded. "We had a vision of building a team that would really be competing this year to make the play-offs and be right bang there trying to challenge for promotion.
"At the moment we have found it very difficult, but it has not been through a lack of trying."
Birmingham, who begin their campaign away at Ipswich Town on Saturday, have already signed Senegal midfielder Cheikh N'Doye from Angers, while Redknapp can also call upon Congolese international Jacques Maghoma and Emilio Nsue of Equatorial Guinea.