Journalist David Ornstein has claimed that the "complex" release clause in the contract of Liverpool transfer target Alexis Mac Allister at least suggests that he probably be leaving this summer.
What's the latest on Alexis Mac Allister and Liverpool?
The Brighton star appears to be a wanted man for the time being with the Reds among a number of Premier League sides to be linked with the Argentine of late.
However, there have been conflicting reports in the media regarding just how likely the midfielder is to go and how far any possible exit talks have actually gone so far.
For instance, according to The Athletic's Andy Naylor, fans should "ignore" any noise for now, as there has been "no contact" with Liverpool, and Brighton "aren't expecting any".
Amid all that, in a fresh development, Ornstein has explained that the player does have an option in his contract that will allow him to leave this summer – although it isn't a conventional clause.
Speaking on the FIVE YouTube channel, he explained: Mac Allister, I revealed, has a clause in his contract, but it's not as simple as a typical release clause, which is just: pay a set fee and the player decides if he wants to leave or not and the club don't have control – Brighton do have a say in the matter.
"Now, a lot of people will be watching this and saying, so what are you actually saying? What is the clause? How does it work? What's the value?
“It's intricate, from what I hear. It's complex. And it's detailed and complicated. And I don't know the ins and outs. But what it does show us is that there is a method that can assist in the departure of Alexis Mac Allister this summer.
"And that increases the likelihood that he will be leaving rather than Brighton saying what they said with Moises Caicedo in January, he's not going anywhere.”
Who wants to sign Alexis Mac Allister?
As alluded to by Ornstein, when Arsenal tried to sign Moises Caicedo in the winter, Brighton held firm and simply rejected any advances from the Gunners.
However, it sounds as though there will be a fee for Mac Allister that, if reached by a bid, will be enough to force the Seagulls into selling.
However, the finer details of this clause are yet to emerge in any specific detail and so this particular potential transfer saga may yet rumble on deep into the summer with Liverpool not the only team to be chasing the £50k-p/w star.
Indeed, Manchester United and Chelsea appear to be among those who will no doubt also be trying to learn just how much is needed to trigger a deal.
One thing is for sure though, this clause certainly contradicts that claim from Naylor that Brighton aren't expecting any contact from Liverpool regarding a transfer.