Kevin Phillips reveals 'only way' Derby County can beat West Ham to Bobby Clark | OneFootball

The former Derby County coach believes that investment is the only way they'll outmuscle West Ham in their race for Bobby Clark

Bobby Clark established himself as one of the best young talents in the Championship last season on loan at Derby County, and it's no surprise that numerous top second-tier outfits are interested in him this summer.

The 21-year-old spent last year at Pride Park on loan from RB Salzburg, who spent around £10 million to bring him to Austria out of the Liverpool fold in 2024. Two years later, he may be on the move back to England permanently.

Understandably, Derby are interested in bringing him back, after he netted three and assisted four in the Championship for John Eustace's side, helping the Rams stage an unlikely play-off push, following a relegation near-miss the year prior.

They are set to face fierce competition for Clark, though, as reports state that at least half a dozen clubs are looking to sign the Championship Young Player of the Year nominee, including recently relegated West Ham.

Having spent the last 14 seasons in the Premier League, you'd imagine that the Hammers would be one of the richest clubs seen in the Championship for a long time, but Derby may be looking to rival that wealth, with Saudi billionaire Turki Alalshikh emerging as a leading contender to invest in the Rams.

Kevin Phillips believes investment is the only way Derby County can land Bobby Clark this summer

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Former Derby coach Kevin Phillips has been part of plenty of successful Championship sides, having achieved promotion into the Premier League five times across five different clubs during his playing career.

He believes that having a good investment can attract top players, especially if the Rams are set to rival sides with bigger budgets and more money to throw at players in terms of wages this summer.

Speaking to BestBettingSites, per Derbyshire Live, Phillips said, "Listen, I think money talks, doesn't it? If this new investor comes in, and they've got money to pump into the football club, it's going to take decent wages, serious wages and a transfer fee.

"Can Derby compete with the West Hams, the Burnleys, financially? Well, if this new investor comes in, yes, they can. And that's the only way.

"Then it's down to the player. Did he enjoy his time enough to say, 'I want to stay?' Or does he see potentially going to West Ham as a big club?

"So ultimately, it's about the finances and, of course, what the player's thinking. We don't know that, but if they could offer him a decent contract, then I think he would certainly look there. Derby's a big club, great infrastructure, and they had a great season."

Ultimately, with RB Salzburg spending an eight-figure fee to bring Clark to the Red Bull Arena, they won't be keen on making too much of a loss on the 21-year-old, especially given that he has clear potential to grow into a top-flight level player.

Derby aren't just going to have to beat out West Ham in terms of how much money they can give him weekly, but are also going to have to approach the Austrian side with the best financial package out of the interested parties, which may only be possible with fresh investment.

Where Turki Alalshikh, Derby County investment, stands after Kevin Phillips' claim

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While Phillips never mentioned Turki Alalshikh by name, it's easy to infer that the Saudi entrepreneur is who he meant by "this new investment."

Alalshikh is the Chairman of the Saudi General Authority of Entertainment, and is the mastermind behind the Riyadh Season, which has seen some of the biggest events, mainly in combat sports, but also in the likes of tennis, football and snooker, take place in Saudi Arabia.

According to the Derby Telegraph, the EFL and the new Independent Football Regulator are aware of his interest in investing in Derby, which would "accelerate" the Rams' ambition to return to the Premier League for the first time since the 2007/08 campaign.

Someone like Clark would be perfect in their pursuit of the top flight, as he holds attributes to be a top Championship player in his position now and the potential to be able to hold his own in the Premier League in the near future.

If Turki Alalshikh can get a deal with David Clowes over the line in the coming months, then the Rams could be in good standing to bring the 21-year-old back to Pride Park.

They clearly have the advantage in terms of a relationship with Clark already, and if they can have the finances to compete with the likes of West Ham, bringing the Salzburg midfielder back would be a no-brainer.