Everton are expected to miss out on a sell-on fee should Antonee Robinson be sold by Wigan Athletic this summer.
The Blues included a clause in the deal which took him to the DW Stadium last summer that guaranteed the club 20% of a future sale.
But Wigan's relegation, which was confirmed on Tuesday after their appeal against a 12-point penalty was rejected, means that a separate clause in Robinson's contract comes into force and would over-ride Everton's entitlement to a cut of the proceeds from his sale.
The left-back, it is believed, can now leave Wigan this summer if an offer of £1.5m is made, which is less than the £2m they paid to Everton in the summer of 2019 for his permanent transfer.
Everton, the ECHO understands, are only in line for the 20% sell-on fee if the Latics sell Robinson for more than they bought him for.
The Blues looked set to pocket around £1.2m in January when Robinson was being lined up for a £6m (with the deal potentially rising to £10m) move to AC Milan.
However, the left-back's transfer fell through on medical grounds on deadline day.
Robinson has since undergone a procedure to correct an irregular heart rhythm and he finished the season with Wigan.
The impressive form of Paul Cook's side saw them finish 13th in the Championship table but the 12 point penalty, handed to the club after they went into administration, put them in the bottom three.
And their appeal, based on a defence of 'force majeure', was this week rejected by an independent arbitration panel.
Robinson, who is said to be attracting interest from West Ham boss David Moyes, is expected to leave Wigan this summer as part of an exodus of players, with the club's administrators trying to find money to help cover costs.
Youngsters Jason Weir, son of former Everton captain David, and former Liverpool prospect Alfie Devine have already been sold in a move designed to help pay club wages.
Former Everton midfielder Joe Williams, who also left Goodison in 2019 to join Wigan permanently, is another who looks set to leave following Wigan's demotion, while the Blues have kept tabs on Joe Gelhardt but he looks set for a £1m move to Leeds United.
