Stoke chairman Peter Coates insists Kenwyne Jones is not simply "getting his way" with regard to a move after refusing to play for the club.
The Potters announced on Saturday that they had reached an agreement with Cardiff over a deal for Bluebirds striker Peter Odemwingie which is set to see fellow frontman Jones head to south Wales in a player-exchange transfer.
Jones had not been involved in either of Stoke's two games prior to that, with him having sent a text message to manager Mark Hughes the night before the clash with Liverpool on January 12 to say he was unavailable for the fixture.
That resulted in the 29-year-old Trinidad and Tobago international being fined two weeks' wages and meant he was not considered for selection in Stoke's next match, against Crystal Palace.
But on the issue of whether Jones is actually profiting from his action, Coates, quoted by The Sentinel, said: "That's not the case.
"The fact is he could have gone at the end of the season because he is out of contract, but this deal looked like a sensible opportunity for us.
"I wouldn't like to think there was any circumstance where a player would think he can get his way by not playing for any football club."
Source: PA
