Tottenham Hotspur winger Jack Clarke is reportedly returning to the Championship after a spell at Leeds United but is he going to Derby or Forest?
Nottingham Forest and Derby County are battling to sign £10 million Jack Clarke on loan from Tottenham Hotspur until the end of the season, according to TEAMtalk.
If the 2018/19 season was a breakthrough campaign for an old-school winger with pace to burn, it is fair to say 2019/20 has hardly gone to plan.
Clarke sealed a £10 million move to Spurs over the summer before returning to Elland Road on loan but, after playing just 19 minutes of Championship football under Marcelo Bielsa from August to January, the sprightly teen is now on the lookout for a fresh start elsewhere.
Tottenham coach Jose Mourinho admitted to Football London last week that the England U20 international was set for another temporary spell away from his parent club – and that looks like music to the ears of East Midland rivals Derby and Nottingham Forest.
TEAMtalk reports that they, along with Millwall and Preston North End, are jostling for the signature of a youngster who exploded onto the scene in West Yorkshire some 12 months ago.
Clarke is a joy to watch in full flight and it should not be forgotten how impressive he was at times for Leeds last season. Even Bielsa himself was blown away by a forward who produced match-winning contributions against the likes of Reading, Aston Villa and Derby.
“Jack Clarke gave enthusiasm to the team,” the Argentine told the BBC. “When I first saw him, I thought he was a good player, but I didn’t think he would have quite the same influence he is showing now. He made an important contribution.”
Clarke’s best performance in a Leeds shirt arguably came in a 2-0 win against The Rams in January 2019. Could he end up being a Derby player, one year on?
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