Aston Villa boss did not want to see the now-Newcastle United man leave Villa Park.
The Birmingham Mail have reported that Aston Villa boss Roberto Di Matteo was left ‘raging’ over Ciaran Clark’s exit.
The 26-year-old left Aston Villa to join Championship rivals Newcastle United after the Magpies met his £5 million release clause at the beginning of August.
The Republic of Ireland defender, who represented the Irish at Euro 2016, has started three of Newcastle’s eight Championship games so far.
He could also come up against his former club this weekend as Aston Villa square off with Rafael Benitez’s boys.
And the Birmingham Mail claim that Di Matteo – who also lost Idrissa Gana to a release clause – was sickened to see Clark leave.
But the report goes on to claim that Clark – who had been at Aston Villa for 16 years – did not take the decision lightly, and even had aspirations to captain the Villans at some point in the future.
It would have been difficult to turn down Newcastle, given the business that Benitez had already done by the time he signed Clark, and so far it looks a smart move.
Villa have won one of their eight Championship games, sitting 18th in the table, while the Magpies sit third after winning five of their second-tier outings so far.
Newcastle United manager Rafael Benitez talks with Newcastle United’s Ciaran Clark
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