Brighton and Hove Albion’s €2.5m asking price for Michal Karbownik is putting his suitors off a deal this summer.
That’s according to Hamburger Abendblatt, who say HSV Hamburg, Schalke and Hertha Berlin are all pulling away from a potential deal thanks to Brighton’s demands.
The newspaper explains that the Brighton defender is a transfer candidate for all three clubs and would like to return to Germany after spending last season on loan at Fortuna Düsseldorf.
However, the ‘biggest sticking point’ for all of the interested parties so far is the price tag that Brighton are putting on the player.
While reports earlier this month had suggested a €1m asking price had been put on the player, the reality is that the Seagulls are looking for at least €2.5m for the Poland international.
That’s a figure which ‘deters’ Schalke in particular, but also HSV and Hertha. The latter cannot afford that figure at this moment in time as they are currently focusing all their efforts and funds on a deal for Diego Demme.
Their financial leeway is limited, particularly as they have not managed to sell players, they were hoping to move on this summer either.
The same can be said of Schalke, who would rather invest their budget in a new centre-back than in Karbownik at this moment in time.
None of the clubs seem interested in paying Brighton’s demands, and the Seagulls don’t desperately need the money either so won’t sell Karbownik for a lower fee either, leaving the player stuck and his suitors pulling away.