Details of Hull City's Jaden Philogene buy-back clause revealed as clubs look to use them as step up from loans

The Tigers signed the winger for around £5m during the last transfer window but there are strings attached.

Until now, Hull had not officially acknowledged a buy-back clause even though it was widely talked about but Kesler does his best to be transparent and has laid out what it means in practice.

Although being forced to sell a player in certain precise conditions is not ideal, it is becoming an increasingly useful tool in signing young talent from the big clubs, and even kicking in with bigger deals.

In effect, deals like this are almost an intermediate step between a loan and a full-on permanent signing, but closer to the latter.

Sheffield United did a similar deal with Villa over Cameron Archer which means the £18m striker will return to the West Midlands if they are relegated this season, and that they have options to buy him at various prices thereafter.

Tottenham Hotspur revealed this week they have a buy-back clause after selling Harry Kane to Bayern Munich in a deal approaching £100m.

In the case of Philogene, Hull could triple their money if they lose him.

"If we're promoted, Villa will have the right to buy him back for £15m," explained Kesler.

"If we had another offer of more than £15m, we'd have the right to discuss it. It's not like we're forced to sell to Villa but they'd have the first choice.

"That's part of our agreement.

"That's how Keinan Davis was going to come (until the Villa striker opted to join Udinese instead)."

Unsurprisingly having negotiated it, Kesler thinks fans should see the positive side of the arrangement.

"The buy-back clause can be interpreted negatively or very positively," he acknowledged.

"If the player is yours and you feel you don't have the right to control him all the way along, it could be a negative approach. But you can also look at it that to get that kind of talented players, you create a win-win situation and share certain rights so you can get him.

"I'd just assure our fans that they should be faithful to our decisions for the future, it's just a mechanism where we try and create a win-win situation.

"In the end there is a value put on his unidentified performance, which is good.

"Maybe he will never reach that or maybe he can bypass that, but at least for the market, for the football world, we know what he can be worth if he leaves our club.

"If someone comes in and offers us less than his buy-back value do we consider it? Should we consider it? Probably not.

"Having another big club on your side and being able to have some sort of part in Jaden's development plan is good."

Philogene, who previously had impressive Championship loans at Stoke City and Cardiff City, was not signed in time to face Leicester City at the start of the month but has played all of the last two matches, against Coventry City and Leeds United. Both ended in home draws.