Leeds United’s Jack Clarke is reportedly a target for Premier League heavyweights Tottenham Hotspur. Recently reports had emerged that Spurs had put in a bid of £10m for the young winger which was rejected by the Whites. Latest reports from the Daily Mail suggests that Leeds United have put up a price tag of £20m on him and it remains to be seen whether Spurs would be willing to meet those demands.
Clarke had an impressive breakthrough campaign at Elland Road. He impressed for the u-23 earlier in the season and Bielsa soon drafted him into the senior team. With various injuries to first-team players, Clarke started to get his chances. The Argentine manager often used him as an impact substitute because of his direct playing style.
The winger did go on to impress, and he played fearlessly on occasions. He was restricted to little cameos for the most parts as he made 25 appearances in all competitions and contributed with two goals and two assists. Clarke is far from a finished product, but the potential he has shown has caught the imagination of quite a few Premier League clubs.
Manchester City had even targeted him when he was just 16, but the youngster signed his first professional contract for the Whites. After only one year, he made his breakthrough in the senior team, and he is seen as one for the future for club and country.
Are Leeds taking the right call?
After missing out on promotion, something like this happening was always going to be on the cards. The player can be tempted to move to Tottenham who have taken giant strides under Mauricio Pochettino in the past 3-4 years. £20m for a player who has played just cameos in the Championship is a more than a decent sum. However, everyone is aware of the high ceiling of potential that the young Englishman has.
A top season in the Championship can get Clarke’s value up to £30-40m. However, Leeds United might think that they can do a lot with £20m in hand if they invest it in their squad for this season. Therefore that is going to be a big dilemma for them.
The Whites should look to keep him, but a £20m offer for someone who isn’t even a regular starter could be too tough to ignore. Bigger clubs will always have an edge in terms of luring players and in those instances, all clubs like Leeds United can do is get a fair price for their asset. We feel that they are valuing Clarke just about right and if Tottenham comes up with an improved offer, then we can see this deal going through.
