Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate says there was little reason for hanging onto new Everton striker Yakubu Aiyegbeni.
"Emotionally, he was struggling, and that performance at Wigan was below his own standards," the Boro boss told a BBC Tees fans' forum.
"When a player is unsettled to that point, it's time to get the best possible deal for the club."
He added: "That process was ongoing before the Wigan game - we decided not to take him to Fulham, and I think the team responded because of that.
"No one player is more important than a football club."