Macclesfield announced on Thursday they have allowed forward Tom Clare to leave the club temporarily to appear on the reality dating show Love Island.

Clare joined the club in 2021 and helped his team to win the North West Counties Premier Division to earn promotion to the eighth tier of the English football pyramid.

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The 23-year-old was the club's top goalscorer last season and signed a new deal in the summer until 2024, but will depart mid-season to take part in the hit TV series set to take place in South Africa this winter.

"Tom approached us with the request a number of weeks ago and we were happy to show the same loyalty that he has to us since becoming one of our first-ever signings back in 2021," Macclesfield said in a statement on Thursday.

"Despite the fact that we are disappointed to lose a player of Tom's calibre for the foreseeable future, we also recognise the incredible opportunity that this represents for both him and his family on a personal level.

"Tom remains very much part of our plans here at the Leasing.com Stadium and has expressed his unwavering desire to return to the Club after the show.

Clare will enter the Love Island villa as one of the first bombshells with the new series set to premiere on Monday.