The midfielder has signed for Hearts after leaving Sheffield Wednesday.
Sean Clare was meant to join another English club after leaving Sheffield Wednesday, the Hearts manager Craig Levein has told the Daily Record.
Clare ended months of speculation about his future by joining Hearts at the start of this week.
The 22-year-old broke into Sheffield Wednesday’s first team plans after a loan spell at Gillingham last season, but saw his campaign cut short by injury in March.
According to Levein – whose original plan was to sign Clare on loan from whichever English club he joined – that ultimately worked in Hearts’ favour and may have cost the Owls an extra £850,000 in compensation.
“Sean Clare is just a really good player,” said the 53-year-old. “He was at Sheffield Wednesday, his contract was up and he decided he was leaving.
“He was supposedly going to one of a number of Championship or even Premier League clubs who were interested. The idea was that we would then take him on loan. His wages were way beyond what we can afford. Then one or two things happened with the clubs he thought he would sign for.
“He had an injury and had to get a foot operation in March and pre-season was gone. Clubs had already signed their players just as he was getting fit. So the deal changed from us getting him on loan to whether we could get him permanently.
“What has been good for us is that, for Sean to go from Sheffield Wednesday to another Championship club or a Premier League club in England, if they don’t agree on a fee, it would then go to a tribunal. That could be set at seven figures. Cross-border compensation is more straightforward, black and white.
“They’re a category two club and we’re a category two club. So it’s €60,000 (around £53,000) for every year he was at Sheffield Wednesday – and he’s been there two-and-a-half years. The question then became could Hearts find €150,000 (around £134,000) to invest in a player we would normally not be able to sign.
“For me, it’s a good investment. Like all good investments, you want to watch them perform. Why I think this is a really good deal for us is we’re getting a player who we normally wouldn’t get. The bonus now is that he’s our player and he’s not on loan. If I could have signed Demi Mitchell (the on-loan Manchester United defender) on a permanent contract, I would have. Very rarely do you get those opportunities.
“The way the cards have fallen, it’s worked out particularly well for us. Sean was prepared to come in under our salary cap. I didn’t think we’d be able to get him on those terms but, to be fair to him, he’s a very sensible kid – and he sees this as a good move for him. If he can play regularly here, that will elevate his chances of playing at the top level.
“Sean just wants to play but he’ll be struggling to get into our first team right now though!”
Clare only played five times for Sheffield Wednesday, scoring once, but is a player the Owls tried to keep.
The Yorkshire side eventually replaced the London-born midfielder with another in Tottenham Hotspur’s Josh Onomah, who arrived at Hillsborough on loan last month.
Clare’s new side currently boast a five-point lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership table, having won all five of their matches so far.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
