The Nottingham Forest boss has long made it clear that player signings are not within his remit, all recommendations going instead to the transfer panel set up by the club.
The same goes for player sales too according to the Scot, who told BBC East Midlands Today: "I got a call after the deal was done to tell me James was leaving.
"I was disappointed but that is why the acquisitions panel is here.
"They decide who comes, who goes and when."
Responding to the claims, chief executive Mark Arthur told the Nottingham Evening Post that Davies had been fully aware of Newcastle's interest, that the manager had advised to wait on offering Perch a new deal and that the Premier League newcomers will be quadrupling the player's salary.