"I hope we sell more players in the next year or two," says Martin after transfer window closes

After selling four of MK Dons' top names during the transfer window, Russell Martin said he hopes more sales are on the horizon, because it will mean the club are doing something right.

Twice Player of the Year Alex Gilbey, top-scorer Rhys Healey and top-rated academy products Callum Brittain and Sam Nombe have departed Stadium MK during the window, with many fans left scratching their heads, dubbing it the worst transfer window the club has ever had.

But with 13 players brought in, Russell Martin believes positive business has been done not just through the recruitment but in the way they've sold too.

"If I look at it, it has been a fantastic window," he said. "The fact we've got money for players after finishing 19th in League One is testament to what we're doing. And at this level, you have to trade players if you want to be sustainable and build a squad.

"I hope we sell more players in the next year or two, because it will mean we're doing right. I hope we can hold on to enough to make sure we're successful and we'll eventually get to a point where we don't have to do it at all, but it's the same for everyone outside the Premier League.

"People outside didn't expect it to be such a big rebuild. The club needed to reset culturally and performance-wise in the standards day-to-day. It's the reason we've done so much, and that's no disrespect to former managers or players, but we've improved in every department. We've got most of our targets, we've added quality and experience."

Following the departure of Healey to Toulouse, chairman Pete Winkelman publicly claimed the club were in a position where they did not have to sell, but following the announcement last month that fans were not likely to return to stadia any time soon, Martin admitted the tune had to change, and after submitting a record-breaking bid to sign a player, the landscape going forwards meant those sorts of figures were no longer viable.

He continued: "People are losing their jobs here, around the world, every business, it's really difficult. We had a record bid turned down during a global pandemic when the economy and finances were strained. And by the way, that has changed dramatically since we put the bid in.

"I need to make sure we now justify the belief and faith. I am desperate for this to work. I want everyone to have a team we're proud of. I'm glad the window is over, but there's not long before the next one.

"We've turned down so many players in the last week, players who really want to play here. We have to justify everything now and turn it into results."