Arne Slot gave minutes to 31 players across Liverpool’s two matches against Sevilla and Las Palmas on Sunday, but one young prospect at Anfield was a notable absentee from both games.
Bobby Clark is currently nursing a minor stress issue in his back and hasn’t featured at all in pre-season, during which speculation over his future with the Reds has been rife.
LFC have already rejected a £6m bid from Red Bull Salzburg for the 19-year-old, but it seems that Pep Lijnders’ side haven’t given up on trying to land the gifted midfielder.
Follow Empire of the Kop on Instagram (@empireofthekop) HERE
According to DAVEOCKOP, the Austrian outfit are edging closer to agreeing a permanent deal with Liverpool for the teenager, having continued with negotiations to try and land his signature amid reported interest from half of the EFL Championship’s 24 clubs.
It’s noted that Clark has a strong relationship with our former assistant manager, with a belief that the Dutchman would help him to reach his full potential, and the possibility of playing regularly in the Champions League at the Red Bull Arena is thought to be a possible ‘game-changer’ for the youngster.
READ MORE: ‘I think we should…’ – Virgil van Dijk sounds a bullish note in Liverpool transfers claim
Despite claims from Football Insider last week that Liverpool would only countenance a loan move for Clark rather than selling him outright, it now seems that Anfield chiefs could be open to parting with him permanently if Salzburg make a sufficiently attractive offer.
The 19-year-old posted a cryptic picture on social media on Sunday, showing a black-and-white image of himself looking rather morose. The absence of any accompanying caption leaves a sense of ambiguity which’ll inevitably lead to interpretations that he may be eyeing an exit from Merseyside.
It’s a shame that he’s been laid low during pre-season, which would’ve been the perfect chance to strike an immediate impression on Slot, although not even Fabio Carvalho’s superb performances in USA could deter LFC from accepting a £20m bid (with a potential £7.5m more in add-ons) from Brentford for the attacker.
Clark probably wouldn’t have had a great deal of senior minutes at Liverpool this term even without Salzburg’s attempts to land him, and the prospective arrival of Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad would only nudge him down the midfield pecking order even further.
It’d be a pity if the Reds were to lose such a promising young talent, but if the Austrian side made a sizeable offer and the teenager wants the move, it’d be hard to stand in his way. If he is to depart, we wish him all the best with the remainder of his career.
EOTK Close-up with John Welsh: ‘a local lad who lived his dream’ and Slot’s LFC predictions