Bobby Clark established himself as one of the brightest young talents in the Championship last season while on loan at Derby County, so it’s no surprise that he’s attracting interest from a number of prominent second-tier clubs this summer.

The 21-year-old spent last year on loan at Pride Park from RB Salzburg, who paid roughly £10 million to bring him to Austria after leaving Liverpool in 2024. Two years later, he may be returning to England permanently.

Derby are understandably interested in bringing him back after he scored three goals and assisted four in the Championship for John Eustace’s side, helping the Rams stage an improbable play-off drive following a relegation scare the previous year.

According to rumours, at least half a dozen clubs, including newly relegated West Ham, are interested in signing Clark, the Championship Young Player of the Year nominee.

After spending the previous 14 seasons in the Premier League, you’d expect the Hammers to be one of the richest clubs in the Championship for a long time, but Derby may be looking to match that wealth, with Saudi billionaire Turki Alalshikh emerging as a leading contender to invest in the Rams.

Kevin Phillips feels investment is the only way Derby County can sign Bobby Clark this summer.

Former Derby coach Kevin Phillips has been a part of numerous successful Championship teams, having been promoted to the Premier League five times with five different clubs during his playing career.

He believes that making a strong investment can attract elite players, especially if the Rams are ready to compete with teams with larger budgets and more money to throw at players in terms of salary this summer.

According to Derbyshire Live, Phillips told BestBettingSites, “Listen, I believe money talks. If a new investor invests in the football team, they will need to pay competitive wages and cover transfer fees.Can Derby compete financially with West Ham and Burnley? So, if this new investor comes in, they can.

And that is the only way.”Then it is up to the gamer. Did he enjoy it enough to say, ‘I want to stay?’ Is he interested in joining West Ham, a major club?So, in the end, it all comes down to cash and, of course, what the athlete is thinking. We don’t know, but if they can offer him a reasonable contract, I believe he will look there. Derby is a huge club with strong infrastructure, and they had a fantastic season.”

Finally, with RB Salzburg paying an eight-figure amount to bring Clark to the Red Bull Arena, they will not want to lose too much money on the 21-year-old, especially given his evident ability to develop into a top-flight player.

Derby will not only have to outbid West Ham on how much money they can pay him per week, but they will also have to approach the Austrian side with the greatest financial package among the interested parties, which may only be doable with new investment.

Where does Turki Alalshikh, Derby County investment, stand after Kevin Phillips’ claim?

While Phillips never named Turki Alalshikh by name, it’s clear that the Saudi entrepreneur was the one he meant when he said “this new investment.”

Alalshikh is the Chairman of the Saudi General Authority of Entertainment and the genius behind the Riyadh Season, which has seen some of the biggest events, primarily in combat sports, but also in tennis, football, and snooker, held in Saudi Arabia.

According to the Derby Telegraph, the EFL and the new Independent Football Regulator are aware of his desire to invest in Derby, which would “accelerate” the Rams’ quest to return to the Premier League for the first time since the 2007/08 season.

Someone like Clark would be ideal for their pursuit of the top tier, as he possesses the attributes to be a great Championship player in his position right now, as well as the ability to hold his own in the Premier League in the future.

If Turki Alalshikh can finalise a deal with David Clowes in the coming months, the Rams may be in a strong position to bring the 21-year-old back to Pride Park.

They definitely have an advantage in terms of a relationship with Clark, and if they can raise the funds to compete with West Ham, re-signing the Salzburg midfielder would be a given.