Bobby Clark‘s situation at Salzburg is clear after the former Liverpool youngster was dropped for the Club World Cup – but three ex-Reds have been called up.
Clark ended the campaign having been frozen out at Salzburg, venting his frustrations at the club in a cryptic post on social media.
A £10 million signing last summer – the third-most expensive deal in the Austrian side’s history – he was deemed surplus to requirements after the dismissal of Pepijn Lijnders.
And having played only one minute of the final eight games of the domestic season, missing the squad entirely for seven of those, Clark has now been left out of Salzburg’s Club World Cup squad.
This comes despite the 20-year-old being featured front and centre in Salzburg’s promotional material ahead of the tournament in the United States.
Clark is now almost certain to leave Salzburg, but it remains to be seen whether that will be on a permanent basis given his club will no doubt seek to recoup as much of their £10 million outlay as possible.
Swansea, Derby, Hull, Rangers, Sheffield United, Norwich, Leeds, Coventry and Celtic have all been credited with an interest in the past.
Liverpool hold a 17.5 percent sell-on clause as part of their agreement with Salzburg last summer, as well as first refusal on re-signing Clark if he does leave.
Forgotten Liverpool trio at the Club World Cup
Of course, Liverpool negotiated a £10 million fee with Real Madrid to release Trent Alexander-Arnold in time for the Club World Cup.
But Brand Trent will not be the only ex-Liverpool player at the tournament, which kicks off on Saturday night as Al-Ahly take on Inter Miami.
Ryan Kent has travelled with the Seattle Sounders, Allan Rodrigues is part of the Flamengo squad and goalkeeper Marcelo Pitaluga is with Fluminense.
Kent’s side will play Botafogo, Atletico Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain in Group B; Allan will face ES Tunis, Chelsea and Leon in Group D; and Pitaluga is set to take on Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan and Mamelodi Sundowns in Group F.
Salzburg are in Group H with Pachuca, Al-Hilal and Real Madrid.
The group stage of the Club World Cup runs from June 14 to 26 before the knockouts begin with round of 16 ties from June 28 to July 1.
The quarter-finals take place on July 4/5, the semi-finals on July 8/9 and the final at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 13.
