Liverpool have rewarded the progress of summer signing Bobby Clark with his first professional contract, the deal being announced days after his 17th birthday.

Clark, who joined the Reds from Newcastle in August, turned 17 earlier this week and was therefore eligible to turn his scholarship into a professional contract.

The club moved quickly to do so, with the formality confirmed on Friday afternoon as the youngster put pen to paper on terms that are expected to tie him to Anfield until 2025.

It marks the next step in an impressive start to life on Merseyside, with Clark immediately taking up key player duties with the Under-18s on his arrival, as well as making his Under-23 debut and training with the first team.

A versatile talent, Clark is capable of playing in midfield and out, and has already scored four times and provided three assists in 12 games in the U18 Premier League.

He could join the senior squad for pre-season training this summer, according to assistant manager Pepijn Lijnders, with clear belief among Jurgen Klopp’s staff in a player signed for up to £1.5m sterling.

“Bobby Clark, Luke Chambers, Stefan [Bajcetic]…they all stand out! Lijnders said in January.

“I hope they come with us in pre-season, because it’s really important, that they first come to a real pre-season, four, five weeks of training with us, to find out exactly how we want to do things.”

They will remain patient with Clark, son of former Newcastle midfielder Lee Clark, but there is a clear path to the first team for those who shine at academy level.

A first professional contract is no guarantee of following the likes of Harvey Elliott and Kaide Gordon in making a rapid rise after moving to another English club, but it is a step closer to that.