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Liverpool have agreed a deal that makes complete sense when delving a little deeper into the facts
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Liverpool have agreed a transfer this summer that, initially, seems quite strange, though on closer inspection certainly makes a lot more sense. Arne Slot is yet to make his first signing as Liverpool manager since joining the club, with Real Sociedad's Martin Zubimendi rejecting a move to Anfield in favour of staying in Spain. Instead, Slot has had to handle the departures of Fabio Carvalho, Adrian, Thiago Alcantara and Joel Matip, with that trend looking set to continue in the coming days. VIDEO: Why Dominic Solanke Is Tottenham's Best Signing In Years On Wednesday evening, it was widely reported that Liverpool had agreed a £10m deal with Red Bull Salzburg for the sale of Bobby Clark, their 19-year-old midfielder. While a 17. 5 per cent sell-on clause was inserted into the deal with the Austrian club, some people were left perplexed with the youngster's decision to leave English football. It's a lot clearer, however, when learning that Pep Lijnders is the manager of Red Bull Salzburg. Jurgen Klopp's former assistant manager at Anfield, Lijnders departed the Reds along with the German in the summer to take up the manager's position in the Austrian Bundesliga. Lijnders' assistant manager at Red Bull Salzburg, Vitor Matos, was the development coach at Liverpool, working closely with players like Clark to help get them ready for senior football. It seems both former Liverpool coaches were key to getting Clark to central Europe, too, with Champions League football a possibility should they get through their play-off against Dynamo Kiev this month. The best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week. Son of former Newcastle and Fulham midfielder Lee Clark, Bobby made 14 apperances for Liverpool's first team over the course of two seasons. He joined the Reds in 2021 from Newcastle for a fee of £1. 5m while just 17-years-old, with Klopp guaranteeing him a pathway to the first team. Across those 14 appearances Clark scored once, in the Europa League against Sparta Prague. In doing so, he became the youngest player to score for Liverpool in European competitions. Transfermarkt values Clark at just £850k. Liverpool are braced for a huge £100m bid for a key first-teamer, while the Reds still retain interest in one Premier League attacker. Maxence Lacroix has been touted to replace Joel Matip, while the Merseysiders are poised to sign a superstar Alisson replacement on bargain deal. Meanwhile, Jamie Carragher has exclusively told Four Four Two that his former side overperformed last season – and that no one expects the Premier League title in Arne Slot’s first campaign. Thank you for reading 5 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1 *Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription Join now for unlimited access Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1 Ryan is a staff writer for Four Four Two, joining the team full-time in October 2022. He first joined Future in December 2020, working across Four Four Two, Golf Monthly, Rugby World and Advnture's websites, before eventually earning himself a position with Four Four Two permanently. After graduating from Cardiff University with a degree in Journalism and Communications, Ryan earned a NCTJ qualification to further develop as a writer while a Trainee News Writer at Future. Manchester United ace in talks over huge exit: report Brazilian Ballon d'Or winner's son set for sensational move to Championship side Conor Gallagher offered Premier League escape route, following failed Atletico Madrid transfer: report Four Four Two is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site. ©
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