Dan Ashworth reveals Newcastle United view on Liverpool transfer

The forward made the difficult decision to leave his boyhood before it was taken over by an ambitious consortium.

Remarkably, the England youth international’s already getting first-team experience with his new club – at the age of 17.

So much has changed at Newcastle since Clark, son of former United midfielder Lee, left the club looking for a different pathway to first-team football.

And Dan Ashworth, United’s sporting director, hopes that, in future, the club can keep its best young players.

Ashworth said: "I think I'd be lying if I said that (a promising young player leaving) will never happen again.

"Ultimately, what you can't control are different reasons why players want to go to a club. It might be a pathway, it might be money. It might be a family situation, or a link with that particular city – or that particular country.

"I think the more you can make players feel valued, the more you can give them evidence of a pathway to a first team, and the more the club are striving towards the targets we'd like to achieve, that gives a story and a reason for a young player or senior player to stay and be part of that journey.

On Clark’s departure, Ashworth said: "I don't know the situation around Bobby – I don't know the detail around it – but, ultimately, our goal is to make sure we do attract and retain the talent and manage that talent better than anybody else."

Steve Bruce, head coach at the time of Clark’s departure, told of his "disappointment” at the time.

“We’re disappointed that we lost him, because nobody wants to lose a good player,” said Bruce. “Yeah, disappointed, of course we are. I think it (the system) is flawed. He’s been here since he was a boy. I think, in the end, it was best for all parties to part company.”

Clark ended last season with 13 goals in all competitions, and was called up into Jurgen Klopp's first-team squad in the summer.

Epsom-born Clark made his Premier League debut off the bench in August – and made his full debut in a Carabao Cup tie last month.