Newcastle United’s Ciaran Clark is out of favour at the moment.
Newcastle United moved seven points clear of the relegation zone this past weekend and Premier League survival is looking more and more likely.
One reason for the Magpies hitting a decent run of form is the partnership between Jamaal Lascelles and Florian Lejeune in central defence.
Consequently, Ciaran Clark has been an unused substitution in Newcastle’s last four Premier League games and with Lejeune and Lascelles looking like an exciting partnership and one that could get better next season, does the Republic of Ireland international have a future at St James’s Park?
Clark, a £5 million signing (Birmingham Mail) in the summer of 2016, has been one of United’s regular centre-backs this season, but Lejeune’s form represents a big worry for him and it seems unlikely that he will break back into the first XI before the season is out.
Of course, Rafael Benitez will need covering centre-halves next season, but is Clark going to be happy to sit on a bench for much of next season? Probably not and therefore you wonder whether he will consider his future.
The former Aston Villa ace turns 29 in September and in all likelihood will not be content to be playing second fiddle during the prime of his career.
Unless he feels confident about breaking up Lascelles and Lejeune’s partnership next season then a summer departure might well be on the cards.
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