Player Buyout way to low and unable to raise

I bought Bruma for around 4M euro, he is now worth around 20M euro and I have a bid for him of around 40M and could prolly get even more, but his buyout was too low.

He is still young and not fully developed so he is going to be worth even more after the next season, but I can't seem to negotiate a new contract with a reasonable buyout clause, it starts out at 53M and any suggested change by me get's it set back to 53M.

I tried raising his wage, but even maxing out the board allowed wage made no difference. The new contract default numbers was already a major pay hike and a 4xbonus from the old contract, so their doesn't seem to be anything left, unless I'm supposed to make development prospects key players, but then I think the code make them mad for not playing enough.

Edit: And it's not just him, I've lost most of my rotation players due to low buyouts.

it starts out at 53M and any suggested change by me get's it set back to 53M.

Mate, I don't understand what is the problem? Just set buyout whatever you think fair then “lock” it and make offer and you’ll see what he wants for it.

unless I'm supposed to make development prospects key players, but then I think the code make them mad for not playing enough.

Also I don’t see problem here because later you can anytime change his “squad status” whatever you want.

Begin negotiations with a low wage, low bonuses, high buyout.

He will reject, and ask for an improved offer. Go back with an average wage, average bonuses, low buyout.

He will reject again. Go in with high/very high wages, high/very high bonuses, low buyout set us un-negotiable (lock with the padlock sign).

He will be so pleased to have made progress throughout the offer, that he should be less bothered about the buyout clause. This is my usual approach when trying to drive down one element of a contract.

To be honest though, I'd take 53 million for almost any player, ever. Very few players are irreplacable, and unless you are stinking rich already and money is no object, 53 million can buy you several world class prospects in exchange.

High buyout you mean, I presume...

@ OP: Anyway, if you don't get him to renew on terms which seem reasonable to you, then just sell.

I agree though that players and agents insist on buy-out amounts with a perseverance that seems a bit over the top.

Bruma - Either footed, Inside Forward, plays both sides fluently, 4 star PA. (Developed from 1-2 star CA to 3 star)

He may be the best 4 star inside forward in the game, he is practically priceless if I could finish developing him to replace first team regulars, before someone buys him off my hand.

M-City and M-United has both offered 46M Euro for him..

I seem to have a problem that my A team is 4+ star players, so my in training to replace them players end up being worth more than the buyout clause, so I keep developing and losing the players while my A team gets older and older, my choice is to pay 100M to buy the player they stole back when I can use them as first team regulars, so it doesn't matter that I can sell him for 46M, it's still going to lose money down the line..

Giving him a contract saying he is a key player in order to get a reasonable buyout clause and then dumping him to backup/rotation status, seems like a flaw in the game engine that the player doesn't file a complaint for breach of contract, so I'm not going to use that and fiddling with the various values in order to break the contract negotiation system doesn't really work for me either. If I have to exploit the flaws, then I'm simply going to use the editor to move the player back to my club instead, at least that way I earn 46M.

Edit:

I believe the solution must be that I need to lighten up and stop being so rigid about how I define a first team player. Bruma should have been upgraded to a first team player at the end of last season (That should have allowed me to get a 100-200M buyout clause)

Just to rub salt in the wound, I got the coach report about how well Bruma has developed and found out that way he was now a Man City player. (The same damn club he fought against in the Champ League final)

What club are you playing as?

Just to rub salt in the wound, I got the coach report about how well Bruma has developed and found out that way he was now a Man City player. (The same damn club he fought against in the Champ League final)

I don't understand. You're saying he was sold without you noticing?

Anyway, I've yet to experience this problem, but my only advice would be similar to the advice offered above......use the padlock during negotiations in future. Generally when I use the padlock, they counter asking for more in the sections I left open to negotiation.

Generally when I use the padlock, they counter asking for more in the sections I left open to negotiation.

Or they feel pushed into a corner and leave the negotiations immediately...

Or they feel pushed into a corner and leave the negotiations immediately...

Not my personal experience the few times I've used it. You still have to keep it realistic of course, using the initial demands as a guide. Different agents respond in different ways. I don't believe I've had one simply walk away from the table unless they've already indicated that their patience has worn thin.

I'm scared of the padlock due to having really bad experience with it resulting in terminated negotiation, so I avoid using it at all cost.

As to him being sold without my input: Yeah, when bids is over the buyout clause, players get sold without my input. (You do get a message about the club having accepted bids and when he is done negotiating his contract, but the coach report was ahead of the "HAHA you lost him message")

Club: Barcelona; So I'm trying to train up future replacements for Messi, Naymar, Xavi, etc.