Midfielder admits first-team silence was “when he knew” to leave Liverpool – Liverpool FC

Leighton Clarkson left Liverpool after 15 years this summer time, and he defined {that a} lack of contact from the primary workforce satisfied him to go.

Having progressed via the academy to the fringes of Jurgen Klopp‘s senior squad, Clarkson made the choice to maneuver on earlier this month.

The 21-year-old has joined Aberdeen for an undisclosed charge, after spending the earlier marketing campaign on mortgage at Pittrodie, with six objectives and 9 assists in 38 appearances.

It is going to have been a tough determination for the younger midfielder, significantly with Liverpool prepared to supply him a brand new contract.

However chatting with The Athletic, he defined that silence from the first-team squad whereas he was away on mortgage was “when he knew” he ought to depart.

“Since I got here as much as Aberdeen, I didn’t actually hear a lot from any of them,” Clarkson revealed.

“And that’s after I knew I perhaps wanted to maneuver on.”

His preliminary change to Aberdeen a 12 months in the past got here after a irritating marketing campaign that started with a mortgage to boyhood membership Blackburn and ended again with the Liverpool under-21s.

He had made solely seven appearances for Blackburn earlier than the deal was terminated early, although he was upset to not be built-in again into Klopp’s first workforce.

Requested whether or not he felt his failed stint at Ewood Park altered perceptions of him at his mother or father membership, the reply was “perhaps.”

“If you’re coaching with the perfect gamers on the planet, it should develop into regular,” Clarkson added.

“So I wished to go and play skilled soccer.

“If I had completed effectively at Blackburn, I might have gone again and skilled with the primary workforce and god is aware of the place I’d be now.

“However that mortgage and never taking part in put doubt in everybody’s head.

“I had a contract I might have signed [at Liverpool] however I simply felt prefer it was time to maneuver on and go some other place and begin placing my title on the market, slightly than happening mortgage each time.

“I’d slightly be someplace the place I’m taking part in week in, week out.”

Clarkson actually has that chance now, as he stands to determine himself as a key participant for Barry Robson at Aberdeen, selecting to hitch the Dons regardless of different suitors “providing more cash.”

It’s disappointing, in a means, to listen to of so few Liverpool gamers checking in on Clarkson whereas out on mortgage, given he had skilled recurrently with them in recent times.

However that’s, after all, not their job.

And it might be argued that reminders of Anfield would have seen complacency set in for a participant who was by no means assured a spot upon his return.