Geordie youngster Bobby Clark has been handed a five-year professional deal at Liverpool by Jurgen Klopp. It was the former Borussia Dortmund manager who requested to have a face to face chat with the teenager last year when it became apparent that the Reds had moved into pole position to sign him from Newcastle.
The competition for Clark - the son of former Toon favourite Lee - was fierce with Bayern Munich, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City all interested in his services. But Klopp told him what he needed to hear during those talks and that was that there would be a clear pathway to the first-team if he signed on the dotted line for the 2020 Premier League champions.
Liverpool's statement after the ink was dry on the 17-year-old's contract was more than upbeat as the Anfield club proclaimed: "An exciting forward who can also play in midfield, Clark joined the Reds from Newcastle United in August last year. Clark’s ability to beat opponents one-on-one is allied with a strong, competitive instinct that has also seen him feature in the club’s UEFA Youth League side and make his U23s debut."
That could be just the start for Clark and Chronicle Live understands that the former Newcastle youth player was actually pencilled in to be on the bench for Liverpool's FA Cup tie at home to Cardiff last month. He missed out in the end but only because the Reds signed fully-fledged Colombia international Luis Diaz.
Clark has actually been tearing up trees on the left-hand side of Liverpool's youth team for Marc Bridge-Wilkinson's side in recent weeks but he can also play just as well in the centre of the pitch. For years he was regarded as the next exciting kid to break through at Newcastle but talks stalled last year and Liverpool couldn't believe their luck before nipping in to sign him before he became a professional.
With new ambitious owners at Newcastle you get the feeling that this scenario might not have unfolded under the Saudi-backed Magpies. The aim is to have a thriving Academy, something Dan Ashworth will soon address, and the hope for fans is this is the last time a talented local kid is allowed to leave.
United's initial hopes were that Clark followed in the footsteps of his famous father Lee who went from the youth team to player of the year in the early 1990s before becoming an integral part of the Entertainers. Back then Clark senior was tracked by Liverpool but stayed on Tyneside but the teenager had a clear vision of what he wanted to achieve from the game himself and the Geordie fan favourite always insisted he made his own decisions.
When Clark did leave he did so with great dignity and class, saying: "Thank you to all the staff and my teammates at Newcastle for an incredible seven years and everything you’ve done to guide me to where I am today. You’ll always have a special place in my heart."
On signing a new deal Clark said: "Delighted to have committed my future to this great club, by signing my first professional contract Liverpool, can’t wait to continue my journey here."
That journey continued at the weekend with a superb performance in the mini Merseyside derby for Liverpool Under-18s at the weekend and a goal in a 3-1 win. Clark - who has already represented England at youth level too - is loving life on Merseyside.
After a weekend in which Klopp handed Harvey Elliott an appearance in the League Cup final, with the sub scoring a penalty in the winning shoot-out against Chelsea, Clark has every encouragement that the former Dortmund will be as good as his word one day to play him in the senior side. For Newcastle, one of Ashworth's first briefs will be to ensure such a talent never leaves the Academy again to join a rival.
