Cardiff City chief executive Simon Lim has revealed that the club made at least an £8.5m loss from the summer signing of Andreas Cornelius.

Cornelius was signed by Cardiff for £10m, but returned to his former club Copenhagen in the very next window having played just eight times in the Premier League.

Lim has now confirmed that after the transfer fee, wages and payments to agents the club lost in excess of £8.5m from the deal in total, but decided that the saving on wages in the long-term would benefit the club.

"There has been a lot of press speculation on the loss incurred by the club due to sales," Lim said in a statement on the club's website. "This unfortunately is true. We took the hard decision to incur these losses for the good of the club.

"To commit the club to a significant cost and liability over a five-year contract for one player is not prudent, especially as he was not to contribute to our success now, but was for the future.

"Indeed, in the case of Andreas Cornelius, who cost the club in total just under £10 million, we realise a large loss in excess of £8.5 million, inclusive of transfer fees, salaries, business and compensation paid to player's agents and other miscellaneous expenses."

Cardiff are currently in the Premier League drop zone.