Bobby Clark

Clark grew up around the game through his father, a former manager. He arrived at Liverpool with technical polish already in place, rather than raw potential still to be shaped. He broke a European scoring record for the club at a strikingly young age, and started a domestic cup final before he had properly established himself. That is evidence of a midfielder trusted to influence matches, not just train alongside senior players.

The tension now is proving that pedigree away from Liverpool's structure, first in Austria and now in the Championship, a level that rewards physical competitiveness as much as technique. Big clubs move players like this on for good money when the promise does not convert quickly enough. The next stretch of his career is really about whether he becomes the head of a midfield, rather than a promising part of one.