Bobby Clark Player Profile

Highlights

• Bobby Clark came off the bench in the 2024 Carabao Cup final against Chelsea, acting as a shining youngster.
• He’s part of an academy which is continuing to shine — and he has made an impact due to Liverpool’s injury crisis.
• The youngster is a versatile midfielder with immense potential and he signed a new contract as a key player in Klopp’s plans.

Bobby Clark came on in the 72nd minute during the 2024 Carabao Cup final for Liverpool. On one of the biggest stages, Clark shone for Jurgen Klopp’s side, helping them win the trophy as Virgil van Dijk headed in a dramatic stoppage-time winner against Chelsea.

Clark started to feature for Liverpool due to the club’s injury crisis at the start of 2024, yet it highlighted how they have one of the strongest academies in the world. The youngster played alongside Conor Bradley, Jarell Quansah, James McConnell and Jayden Danns at Wembley as the teenagers came out victorious.

However, Clark has not been in the spotlight for long. He only made his debut for Liverpool at the start of the 2022/2023 season during their 9-0 win against Bournemouth – one of the biggest wins in Premier League history. Here at GIVEMESPORT, we have produced this article to highlight everything you need to know about Clark and his potential future at Anfield.

Career

From Newcastle to Liverpool

Clark joined Liverpool in 2021 from Newcastle United for a fee believed to be in the region of £1.5m at the age of 16. It came after a period of several spells at different clubs during his childhood. His father, Lee Clark, is famous in English football for having managed Birmingham City and Blackpool since 2012. Clark trained with the academy at Birmingham whilst his dad was managing there, but – when they moved back to the North East of England in 2014 – he chose to join Newcastle after visiting every major club.

He featured just once for Newcastle’s U18s before his move to Liverpool in 2021 when he burst onto the academic scene at Melwood. He scored on his U18s debut for Liverpool in a 3-3 draw away at Nottingham Forest, despite being so young, he has featured majorly for the U21 team on Merseyside, registering 11 goal contributions in 34 matches.

It epitomises his young talent, and with nine first-team appearances as of the 26th February 2024, it is expected that Clark will continue to impress the hierarchy at Liverpool. Although Clark has technically not been part of Liverpool’s academy his entire career, he is considered to be ‘home-grown’ at the club, which helps with the club’s registration for Premier League and UEFA competitions.

Height and age

5 ft 10, 19 years old

Clark is 1.78 metres tall, which equates to five feet, ten inches. The average height in the UK is five feet, eight inches, meaning Clark is already in the upper percentile for people of his age. It allows him to dominate the middle of the park with a slim but strong physique.

Meanwhile, born on the 7th February 2005, Clark is 19 years old. Most people of that age are in part-time jobs or at university, but – with nine first-team appearances already under his belt – Clark has shown that he has the world at his feet. With the average peak of footballers still years away for Clark, he will be hopeful he can become one of the club’s best players.

Position

Can play in several positions in midfield

Clark is a central midfielder, but he can also play out wide in the middle. He has played 73 matches in his career and 45 have come as a central midfielder. It has seen him dominate the middle of the park throughout his academic career, knowing he has the skill and composure to dictate matches with ease. He has registered the most goal contributions per match as a left midfielder, with 11 contributions in 18 matches, with the right-footed keen to cut in and cause problems often as an inverted winger.

Style of play

Capable of ‘excellent’ pressing

Clark is a versatile midfielder who is capable of playing across the midfield. He can create chances out of nothing with his precise yet delicate passing skills. Clark is prone to making dangerous runs from the midfield as well, providing the side with a threat that is often not expected by defenders.

As previously mentioned, Clark has impressed everyone at Liverpool during academic games. This included U21 manager Barry Lewtas, who told the Liverpool Echo at the start of the 2023/2024 season that he is confident about his future. “He’s still got lots to develop and improve but I think he’s done ever so well for us over the course of the season and it probably goes unnoticed that he’s on the team sheet most games,” he stated.

I think what’s really exciting is, for someone so young, he has shown that he’s able to play in the middle of the park, both in and out of possession. He’s extremely talented and his pressing is excellent. He’s been a really good player for us, but I also think he’s made massive strides as well, big improvements, and that’s what he’s going to have to continue to do.

Contract

Expires in 2028

Clark signed a new five-year deal with Liverpool in December 2023, which means he will remain at the club until at least 2028. It means the midfielder will be at the heart of Liverpool’s new era when Klopp leaves the club in the summer of 2024. There has been a transformation in recent years, with the likes of Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Fabinho all leaving. It is likely that will only continue once the German manager leaves.

The official statement did not confirm the length of his contract, but DaveOCKOP revealed in September 2023 that he was set to sign a new five-year deal. At the time of his new contract, he stated on X, formerly known as Twitter, that he was ‘privileged to have signed a new contract with an incredible club’.

Jurgen Klopp’s opinion

Rejected loan offers in 2024

Klopp has had an eye for talent throughout his managerial career. He has given opportunities to several youngsters, most notably Trent Alexander-Arnold. The German manager is a huge fan of Clark, highlighted by his new contract at the end of 2023 and his consistent involvement in the first team.

According to the Daily Mail, Liverpool rejected all loan offers from lower league clubs for Clark in the January 2024 transfer window, because Klopp saw Clark as part of his first-team plans. There are not many higher compliments for a teenager to get from one of the greatest managers of all time.

After the 2024 Carabao Cup final, Klopp was also impressed by Clark and his progress at the club, stating, via Liverpool’s official website: “In the end, you follow us obviously pretty closely and the development of Bobby Clark… that’s really crazy, I have to say.”

However, this hasn’t been the only time Klopp has been impressed by the young midfielder. Back in December 2022, Liverpool played a mid-season friendly against AC Milan in a bid to prepare for the return of the Premier League after the World Cup. Liverpool won the match 4-1 and Clark, alongside several youngsters, impressed Klopp.

“Of course, when you bring on the kids [in the] second half and you see the pass from Bobby Clark and the whole performance from Stefan, the performance from Mel as a right full-back and then Ben Doak comes on, 17 years old, and is this kind of natural force, it’s really cool to see,” he stated via Football365.

“In these 10, 11 days, the kids especially, everybody made a real step forward. That’s why these things are so important, that we can involve them — and in general, tonight was the result of the last 10 days what we saw in training and tonight we could bring it on the pitch, which is obviously nice.”

I’m not sure the academy could watch the game tonight, but when you see these boys performing in a game like this, it’s cool.

Statistical data has been accumulated from TransferMarkt.