Cork City manager John Caulfield said his club can't match Dundalk’s financial clout following their double capture of Patrick McEleney and Georgie Kelly on Monday, describing the cost of both deals as "huge".
The Lilywhites made the additions to their attack, and it was even more eye-catching given they have averaged 2.5 goals a game so far this Premier Division season.
McEleney returns to Oriel Park after just seven months away on a three and a half year contract, while Kelly is the top scorer in the First Division.
Asked whether he would try to make similar signings, the Cork boss told Rebel Army TV it was not possible for the league champions:
"No, because the financial packages were huge. UCD got a serious transfer fee, because Georgie Kelly was a professional I believe. Patrick McEleney got a serious package because he was on big money in Oldham, and we believe some money changed hands. We're not in that market.
"You try to compete for players you get out of contract, but at the moment we're not in any market because we don't have any budget to pay (more) wages. In the big picture it never concerns me because this club, we run it in a very strict way.
"That's the way FORAS want it. I've bought into the principles of it and that's the way we do it. And we're just two points off the top with these bunch of boys. We have to make sure we don't lose focus.
"We have 11 games we have won on the bounce at home and we have to make sure we have a performance to get the three points."
Caulfield said he can't afford to bring in any players in the July window unless he ships out players, with the likes of Achille Campion returning from a loan spell in Linfield, and likewise John Kavanagh from Waterford.
The Cork boss said there is a misconception stemming from the confirmation of their UEFA prize money that they have increased spending power.
"The pot hasn't changed. It's just the information that has come out recently has given the impression that the club are getting more money again. That is not the case. It's misleading"
"It's unfortunate, even our own supporters, that they have all got misled by information of the UEFA money. The €800,000 figure going around, this is the same money that we were planning for since we got the league title, which you don't get until September.
"The pot hasn't changed. It's just the information that has come out recently has given the impression that the club are getting more money again. That is not the case. It's misleading. We are owned by the supporters. We work off the budget and don't have the money to go out and compete like other clubs do."
Cork paid Sligo Rovers a fee for Kieran Sadlier last year after Sean Maguire and Kevin O’Connor moved to Preston, but the Rebels boss said that was a rare occurrence and he does not have the luxury of their rivals of buying two players in mid-season
"Last year was a unique sitation where we sold two players in the summer time that allowed us a few extra bob. Apart from that, since we've come into the club, we've never been involved in transfer fees because we don't have it.
"You work off the club's budget which has been the way the club has been set up. It's not a situation where we can go out and buy players or compete with other clubs at the level wages wise. We're not in that market.
"Our budget has been used up since last October. Damien Delaney was a situation that developed late. We created something because Michael Howard and Tobi Adebayo-Rowling left.
"We have nothing within our budget spare, unless a number of players went, but at the same time I don't believe that will happen at this stage."
