Former Liverpool midfielder Bobby Clark has completed a permanent transfer to Derby County, with the Reds set to receive over £1m from the deal thanks to a sell-on clause included in his original sale
Richard Garnett
06:56, 24 Jun 2026Updated 06:56, 24 Jun 2026
Bobby Clark (left) and Jarell Quansah
Bobby Clark (left) is back in England after signing for Derby County(Image: Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
Former Liverpool midfielder Bobby Clark has secured a permanent move from Red Bull Salzburg to Derby County - with the Reds set to benefit financially from the transfer.
The 21 year old spent three years at Anfield after arriving from Newcastle United's academy in 2021. He went on to feature 12 times for the first team, including six Premier League outings, before departing to Salzburg, then under the management of former Liverpool assistant Pep Lijnders, in a deal worth an estimated $13.1 million.
The son of ex-Newcastle stalwart Lee spent one campaign in the Austrian Bundesliga before joining Championship outfit Derby on loan last August, where he featured 45 times, netting eight goals and registering eight assists, becoming a firm crowd favourite at Pride Park while claiming the club's Young Player of the Season honour.
Following the completion of his permanent switch, the Rams haven't revealed the fee paid to Salzburg, though is has been reported to be around $6.9 million.
When Liverpool offloaded Clark to the Austrian side, a sell-on clause of 17.5 per-cent was negotiated into the agreement, meaning the Reds are now in line to pocket just over $1.3 million from his subsequent transfer to Derby, reports the Liverpool Echo.
Speaking to Rams TV following the completion of his four-year deal, Clark said: "I think people could tell [that he wanted to stay at Derby], the way I enjoyed being here.
Bobby Clark of Derby County plays during the Sky Bet Championship match between Derby County and Millwall at Pride Park in Derby, England, on December 10, 2025. (Photo by Stuart Leggett/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Bobby Clark has made his move to Derby County permanent(Image: Getty Images)
"When fans asked us to stay and stuff, obviously, I had to say 'we'll see', but I knew deep down that I wanted to come back..
"I felt the vibe after coming in from not playing much (at Salzburg). The gaffer put full trust in me, got me up to speed and then I just got the minutes that I needed, I enjoyed everything about the club, the team, everyone working for the club, the fanbase - I thought it was the perfect destination for me.
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"I was a big decision, because I want to realise my potential. I just feel like I will get better and better at Derby.".
Clark had attracted interest from several other clubs, among them Rangers and Wrexham, but having narrowly fallen short of the Championship play-offs last season, he was eager to continue his work alongside Rams manager John Eustace.
Liverpool now has an additional $1.3m to bolster their transfer kitty as they look to mould the squad in the image of new manager Andoni Iraola ahead of the upcoming season.