Brighton’s Smart Move: Director Hints at Lucrative Sell-On Clause in Star Player’s Deal

Brajan Gruda made the switch from 1. FSV Mainz 05 to Brighton & Hove Albion during the summer transfer window.

The 20-year-old’s move to the Premier League club earned Mainz a record-breaking transfer fee of €30m, plus additional bonuses.

In this week’s edition of SportBild, Mainz 05 sporting director Christian Heidel sat down for an interview, where Gruda’s transfer to Brighton was a key topic of discussion.

Heidel, who has a long history with the German club, serving as sporting director from 1992 to 2016 before a brief stint at Schalke, returned to Mainz in 2019. Notably, during his time at Schalke, Heidel oversaw the sale of Leroy Sané to Manchester City, a deal that parallels Gruda’s transfer in terms of significance.

When asked about this comparison, Heidel explained why Mainz decided to sell Gruda to Brighton.

“Both transfers were significant. However, the key difference was that at Schalke, we had to sell Leroy due to financial pressures,” he said. “With Brajan, we weren’t under the same economic strain at Mainz. But when the offer reached a certain level, we realized it was the right move—for both Brajan and the club. Mainz 05 still relies heavily on income from transfers.”

SportBild also questioned Heidel about a potential sell-on clause in Gruda’s contract.

“Brajan has the potential to become an exceptional player. If he reaches that potential, we want to benefit from it. That’s how the contract is structured,” Heidel confirmed.

Unfortunately, Gruda has yet to make his debut for Brighton, as an injury has kept the young attacking midfielder sidelined for over a month.