According to the latest reports from Portsmouth News as cited by Wales Online, Leeds United are among the various clubs looking to sign Portsmouth defender Matt Clarke. Along with the Whites; Stoke, Hull, Reading and Bristol City are interested from the Championship. Brighton are considered to be the frontrunners, and they are obviously going to have an edge as they play in the English top flight.
The Pompey are said to be sitting comfortably waiting for a bidding war to ensue for the defender. The 22-year-old defender was the mainstay for Kenny Jackett’s side at the back as he made 60 appearances for his team in all competitions and even managed to find the back of the net four times.
Portsmouth are set to continue in League One as they lost to Sunderland in the playoff semi-finals. Therefore there is no doubt that Clarke could be tempted to move away from the club to a higher division. The defender came up from Ipswich Town’s academy, and he has his contract at Fratton Park until 2020.
Does Leeds United need a defender?
Signing a defender might not be a top priority for the club as they have Liam Cooper, Pontus Jansson and Gaetano Berardi at their disposal. Luke Ayling and Kalvin Phillips have also shown that they can fill in the centre back role from time to time. However, it would be better if the Whites can sign a new defender so that they don’t need to use makeshift defenders anymore.
Moreover, Berardi is being linked with a move away from the club so the Whites might look to bring in someone as his replacement.
What will Clarke bring to the table and should Bielsa sign him?
Clarke can be considered as one of the best defenders in League One right now if not the very best. The 22-year-old has impressive strength, and he is hardly shrugged off the ball. He can also keep his calm in possession and play out from the back. His tackling and reading of the game are exceptional at this young age, and the Englishman is only going to improve from here onwards. There is no doubt that Bielsa should look to get this deal done.
However, there are already a long list of teams who are looking to get his signature. With Premier League club like Brighton in the mix, United’s chances aren’t going to be too strong. However, the opportunity to work and play under Bielsa should tempt the youngster.
