Unknown regens appearing with sell on clause

Apologies if this has already been answered elsewhere, but the following is some form of glitch/unexplained part of the game that has me a little confused...

At some point during my second season into the game and after the club had announced the youth intake, I noticed that a new sell on clause had appeared for a regen player I had never heard of. He looked positively fantastic and was now in the youth system of a club of much higher reputation. I assumed that I had perhaps overlooked the guy during the intake and the club had sold him on - even though I am always very meticulous with regens. I never took a screenshot so unfortunately he is lost to the sands of time because I can't remember his name, nor did I shortlist him (nor can I be bothered trawling through every club in the league).

I would've probably forgotten about the whole incident if I hadn't have checked my sell on clauses again around 6 months later... yet another random player had appeared (with very high PA), with his 20%-of-the-next-fee clause. Here's a screenshot:

As with the first guy, I don't remember seeing him in the youth intake, nor do I remember any messages in my inbox to do with his sale. It's like the game had him generated within my academy before the youth intake was announced, meaning a club could come in and poach him in the background... Now my interpretation may be way off and it could be a device to symbolise the competitive nature of finding youngsters, but it seems a little harsh that we are not allowed to at least have some say in these invisible deals that poach high PA players from under our noses. So I'm wondering what you guys think and whether or not anyone else has experienced this.

It means he was poached before he appeared in your intake.

That was basically what I assumed. My only gripe is that it's kinda harsh because it's not like human players can do the same.

Yes it represents players who train at your academy at a younger age (< say 16yo) but join another youth team rather than yours during the youth intake.

That was basically what I assumed. My only gripe is that it's kinda harsh because it's not like human players can do the same.

Yes it happens to human controlled teams as well, some of your youth intake can be from other clubs and you can see this in the clauses section where fees are due at various points of a player's career.

Yes it happens to human controlled teams as well, some of your youth intake can be from other clubs and you can see this in the clauses section where fees are due at various points of a player's career.

Interesting. I've never had it happen to myself, but thanks for the info. I'll keep a look out.

Interesting. I've never had it happen to myself, but thanks for the info. I'll keep a look out.

I haven't got any in my current save to show you as an example but the way to see is to find a player who comes through your youth intake & has your club listed as his first club in his history but there are also transfer clauses out after set milestones (Appearances, International apps etc).