Former Liverpool midfielder Bobby Clark has vented his frustration at Red Bull Salzburg, less than a year after he made the move to the Austrian club.
Clark was something of a surprise exit from Anfield last summer, having enjoyed a breakthrough campaign with the Reds in Jurgen Klopp’s final season in charge. With Pep Lijnders taking over at Salzburg, the former Liverpool assistant made the academy prospect one of his first transfer targets, with Clark making a $13 million move.
The switch though has not gone to plan. Lijnders was dismissed just a few months into his new job after a poor start to the season, including a disastrous Champions League campaign that saw just one win from eight games during the league phase.
And since the arrival of Lijnders’ replacement, Thomas Letsch, Clark has seen his opportunities severely reduced.
The 20-year-old has played just six times in 17 games under Letsch, with only three of those games missed through injury. He was left out of the squad completely for Salzburg’s defeat to Sturm Graz last Friday – the fifth time in the last six games he hasn’t been included on a matchday.
And it seems Clark has now made his frustration at his lack of game time public. Posting on X, the midfielder shared a picture of himself alone on the training ground, captioned with just a shrugging emoji.
Not only that, but his family has made no secret of his apparent desire for another transfer this summer. His brother Jak agreed with one Liverpool fan who replied to tell him he wished Clark was still at Anfield.
And his father Lee hasn’t ruled out the possibility of a move back to the UK, telling Chronicle Live last month: “Who knows?
“There was lots of speculation in January. I think there were a lot of offers put to Red Bull from various British clubs. But I don’t think the deal was right for all the parties so it didn’t happen.
“We’ll see what goes on. He went to RB Salzburg because he had a lot of respect for Pep Lijnders who was Jurgen Klopp’s assistant when he left Liverpool. He lost his job and it can change the dynamics. But he has a long-term contract at Red Bull and we will see what happens next.
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“I would imagine at some time in his career there will be opportunities to come back to the UK. And he’d probably like to do that. I have not sat down and spoken with him on that, but it could be a possibility.”
Following his move from Liverpool last year, the Reds do have first option to re-sign Clark should he leave Salzburg – although that seems unlikely to happen this summer.
A move to the Championship could offer him a way out, with Swansea, Derby, Hull, Norwich, Leeds and Coventry all linked over the past 12 months, as has Sheffield United, who could be bound for a return to the Premier League.
