According to the latest reports from the Express, Arsenal are preparing to put in a formal bid for Leeds United’s playmaker Jack Clarke. The English winger has had a breakthrough season so far at Elland Road and has played an important role in keeping the Whites on the top of the table in the Championship.
Along with the Gunners, Tottenham, Liverpool and Manchester City are also interested in him, but Arsenal are the first team looking to put in a formal bid for the 18-year-old ace. Clarke has slowly gone to establish himself in the first team, and recently he put in a man of the match performance in his side’s win over Derby County.
The reports add that the Whites are not willing to discuss a new contract with Clarke until the end of the season and Arsenal are seeing that as an opportunity to lure him away this month. Given the talent he possesses, it is no surprise that such heavyweight teams are after the Englishman but Leeds United need to stick to their guns if they want to get to the Premier League by next season.
Clarke started with making cameos in the Leeds lineup and ever since the departure of Samuel Saiz and injury troubles to the squad, the Englishman is seeing a good amount of game time. At this age, he has already turned out to be a game changer on quite a few occasions for Bielsa.
Manchester City had even tried to get him (The Express) when he was just 16, but the winger went on to sign his first professional contract with his childhood team. The player has his contract at Elland Road up until 2021, but the Whites need to give him a new improved deal after the impact he has made in the first team this season.
Bielsa in no way should look to sell the youngster whatever the bid is from Arsenal. The player should also not let his head get turned by the interest of some English heavyweights. Staying at Elland Road is going to be the best ploy for his overall development as he has started to get some regular game time off late and there is no better manager around than Bielsa to help him reach his true potential.
Leeds United are very much in line to move to the Premier League so Clarke can realise his dream of playing in the English top flight with his boyhood club. If United secure a Premier League promotion, we believe the Whites can offer him a better contract in the summer so one cannot blame the club hierarchy for keeping the talks of a new deal on hold until the end of the season.
