Alious“SO NEAR, YET SO FAR” — Young Star Reflects on Nearly-Sealed Brighton Switch and the Career Lesson It Taught Him
Clement Bischoff of Red Bull Salzburg has opened up about the valuable perspective he gained after his planned transfer to Brighton & Hove Albion fell apart.
Speaking to outlets in Denmark, the 19-year-old winger revisited the whirlwind period following his move from Brøndby IF to Austria. He was specifically asked to revisit the transfer talks with the English club, which went right down to the wire.
Brighton reportedly pushed to secure his signing shortly after the winter 2025 window had shut, aiming to finalise an arrangement with Brøndby that would have brought him to The Amex in the summer. In February, Danish sources indicated that Bischoff even travelled to England for medical assessments — strong evidence the club thought the deal was all but done. Yet mere weeks later, Tipsbladet revealed the agreement fell apart due to a sudden dispute between the sides just before completion.
At the time, both Bischoff and Brøndby sporting director Benjamin Schmedes expressed disappointment that the Premier League move collapsed. Still, Bischoff eventually turned the page, reopening his options and landing a new opportunity with Red Bull Salzburg.
Though he doesn’t delve into the exact cause of the breakdown, Bischoff openly acknowledges just how close he came to becoming a Brighton player. Looking back, he says the episode taught him a lasting truth about professional football: nothing is certain until the contract is signed.
“It was really close, but that’s all in the past now. The big lesson for me was that you can’t assume anything until it’s on paper. I stayed locked in mentally and embraced the next opportunity in front of me. In the end, I’m glad things worked out the way they did,” he reflected.
Alious
