Portsmouth forced to accept 'limited' fee after Brandon Haunstrup's Kilmarnock switch

That’s the belief of chief executive Mark Catlin, following the left-back’s departure for Kilmarnock.

Although a free agent, the Blues are entitled to compensation having produced the 23-year-old and then tabled an improved contract.

However, with Haunstrup moving cross-border, the deal falls under Fifa Training Compensation regulations.

That deprives Pompey of a fixed fee for a player who had been at Fratton Park since the age of seven – and impacts significantly on money they expect to receive.

Catlin said: ‘All fees and negotiations between the clubs are confidential, however, given Brandon’s age and moving to Scotland, any compensation is limited.

‘If you offer a player an improved contract and they move to another club within England, you are protected by English compensation rights.

‘However, by going abroad in football terms – Scotland – it doesn’t apply. You see it every year at clubs.

‘Instead, you go into Fifa training rights. Historically, they are more of a fixed level and totally different should Brandon have gone to another English club.

‘How much we receive depends on his future performance, there is no fixed fee in regards of the move itself.

‘It’s based on when they move again, what level they move to, it’s so complicated. It really only starts to be worth any type of money if Brandon plays at a very high level.’

Under Fifa regulations, when a player registers as a professional for the first time in a country other than the one in which he trained, the club he joins is responsible for paying training compensation.

This covers the season of his 12th birthday through the season of his 21st birthday.

Crucially, to receive any compensation under the English or Fifa structures, Pompey had to offer Haunstrup an improved deal.

They did so by tabling a 12-month contract with a small pay rise, thereby protecting their own interests.

Catlin added: ‘Brandon was offered an improved deal, which you have to do to retain compensation rights.

‘I spoke to Brandon when the offer was made and he was intent it wasn’t really about the money, it was the fact he wanted to go and play first-team football.

‘You have to remember he was out of contract and turned down the offer.

‘It was an improved offer to retain the compensation rights – and he took the decision to move to Scotland.’

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