Spurs famously missed out on Willian after the Brazilian had passed a medical at Hotspur Way, with Chelsea swooping for him in the last minute back in the summer of 2013 (Guardian).

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Tottenham themselves were beneficiaries of Arnaut Dajnuma changing his mind at the last moment, with the forward stopping one step short of signing for Everton after completing all the formalities at Goodison Park last month (The Athletic).

Begovic has now revealed that his story was quite similar as Portsmouth had accepted an offer from Spurs to sign him and Younes Kaboul in a package deal.

However, the Bosnian explained that he was not all that enthusiastic about the move as he had concerns over getting regular game time with the Lilywhites.

The 35-year-old told BBC’s A Cold Wet Tuesday Night podcast: “At the beginning of January 2010 there was all that talk about Portsmouth’s sellable assets and I was one of them along with Younes Kaboul.

“There were probably two or three of us they are going to fetch any money on. But January is going and I’m still there, playing in the cup and everything and then we get to the last week of the window.

“It’s a Thursday, I believe, and we’ve got a team lunch after training and I get a phone call. ‘As, you and Younes Kaboul have been sold to Spurs. It’s a package deal. You’re supposed to be at Spurs Lodge tomorrow for a medical.

“At that time I was on a very low salary. We’d just had our first child, we were getting paid late, first house. I was thinking for the security of my family I need to take this. I don’t know what the contract is going to be but it’s going to be better than what I’m on. I’ll let my agent do all that.

“I drove up that night, report to Spurs Lodge that Friday morning and it’s a long medical. Spurs are known for their long medicals and I’m in an MRI machine for three hours, then I have to go to another doctor to do all my heart scans.

“Then in the afternoon as I’m heading for the third part of the medical with Mohamed Al-Fayed’s private doctor, who Daniel Levy knew, I get a call from my agent.

“He was saying, ‘As, where are you? I need to meet you.’ He was supposed to be with me in the morning but there was no point, I was so busy, so we were going to catch up in the evening anyway. ‘Lot of stuff going on, we need to catch up.’

“I do the third part of the medical then we go to a local hotel and he says, ‘Stoke have come in for you.’ Ok. Tony Pulis, (coach) Mark O’Connor, everyone at the club, this was serious. They were giving me a contract that was four or five times what I was earning.

“‘They really see you as the next big thing, the next number one.’ I knew Thomas Sorensen was at the club but coming to compete and hopefully, eventually take over.

“That sounded great because I didn’t really want to go to Spurs. I didn’t see it as my next move. I was happy playing every week and I thought that was best for my development.

“Going to Spurs, Gomes was there, when am I going to play? Are they going to bring in someone else in the summer? You never know. This is a great deal for them, package deal with Younes Kaboul, but is it right for me?

“I was thinking the Stoke thing is much better. I remember saying to my agent that I was going to have to go home and think about it. I’m not sure Spurs is the right thing. They’re expecting me back at Spurs Lodge in the morning to sign a contract and I don’t even know what the contract is.”

Begovic revealed that Daniel Levy was left irate when he decided to move to Stoke instead of Spurs.

He continued: “I spoke to my family and then really wanted to pursue Stoke. It was about a fee of £3.25m, nothing major, and I wanted to go but for some reason Pompey wanted me to go to Spurs.

“The weekend goes, it’s a Monday 5 pm deadline and I was begging Pompey to take the money and let me go to Stoke knowing full well they had to sell.

“It got to Monday and Daniel Levy is fuming. He was speaking to my agent saying he’d paid for my medical, ‘I want my money back!’ But this happens.

“By 4 pm on Monday, I’m in my agent’s office in London and Pompey finally accept Stoke’s bid and I was a Stoke player that afternoon. That was the start of that chapter.”

Spurs Web Opinion

Begovic’s decision proved to be the right one as he ended up being Stoke’s number one for six seasons. He was was extremely unlikely to win the number one shirt at Spurs from Heurelho Gomes as the Bosnian had not really established himself as a consistent performer in the top flight at the time.

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After breaking into Stoke City’s starting eleven at the start of the 2020-21 season, Souttar went on to have a brilliant 18 months, proving to be a rock at the back for the Championship side.

(Photo by Michael Regan – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)

Stoke Sentinel reported in the summer of 2021 that the defender’s performances had caught the attention of Spurs, who were allegedly continuing to monitor his progress.

Football Insider claimed ahead of this year’s January transfer window that the North London club could intensify their pursuit of the 24-year-old, with Stoke ‘braced’ for offers.

However, Souttar picked up an ACL injury just over 12 months ago, which has kept him out of action for almost a full year.

The centre-back only returned to action just ahead of the World Cup but he showed no signs of rustiness in Qatar, with his dominant displays at the back helping Australia qualify for the knockout stages.

The Mail now reports that Spurs and Everton were both keen on Souttar ahead of his ACL injury and both clubs will now be ‘on alert’ about the defender on the back of his showing at the World Cup.

Spurs Web Opinion

Even though Souttar was on Tottenham’s radar prior to his injury, I do not think the North London club will consider an offer for the 24-year-old in January.  They would likely want to wait and see if he remains fit until the end of the season and to gauge his performances before considering a move for him next summer.

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Wimmer impressed in his first season at Tottenham, putting in solid displays at the back when Jan Vertonghen was out injured for a big chunk of the 2015-16 campaign.

The Austrian international found opportunities hard to come by in his second season at White Hart Lane but he had shown enough promise to convince Stoke to pay £18m to sign him in the summer of 2017.

However, things did not go according to plan for the centre-back at the Bet365 Stadium, with Stoke being relegated in his first season at the club.

Wimmer has now opened up on the difference between the Mauricio Pochettino regime at Tottenham and the Mark Hughes one with the Potters

The 29-year-old, who now plays for Austrian side Rapid Wien, admitted that the approach to nutrition at Stoke left him baffled.

Wimmer told Transfermarkt: “The transfer fee was of course a big deal. On the one hand, I was incredibly proud, but on the other hand, I couldn’t really grasp or even realise that figure.

“At that point, I was really keen to attack with Stoke, wanted to tackle, make a difference.

“If I’m honest, I was shocked: at Tottenham, every nuance was taken care of, both in training and off the pitch. The best example is the diet: every intolerance was taken care of. There was a gluten-free offer, there was a vegan offer.

“At Stoke, you could even order fish and chips for lunch. While at Tottenham you had to beg for a day off, at Stoke, Wednesdays were generally free.

“So, I thought, I don’t know if this can work. So I hired a personal trainer to make good use of the day off.”

Spurs Web Opinion

Pochettino was one of a few modern-day managers who revolutionised the approach to training and nutrition in the game. 

So, it does not really come as a surprise that the difference in approach between him and Hughes, who was an old-school kind of manager, was night and day.

I suspect the situation at Spurs under Harry Redknapp was quite similar to the one Wimmer describes at Stoke.

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Despite referees’ best attempts to stamp out time wasting from the game, it is still a regular occurrence, with goalkeepers usually being the worst offenders.

Few did it as often or as effectively as Foster, who always attempted to run down the clock against Tottenham when his side were either leading or holding onto a point.

The 39-year-old, who is now a free agent after his contract with Watford ran out in May told talkSPORT about his time-wasting antics against Spurs:

@talksport

Ben Foster says Tony Pulis was ‘world’s best’ at time wasting! #ForYou #ForYourPage #Football #Soccer #FootballTikTok #PremierLeague #Funny

♬ original sound – talkSPORT

Spurs Web Opinion

Stoke City under Pulis got under my nerves more than any other team in Premier League. Even Bolton under Sam Allardyce and Burnley under Sean Dyche had some redeeming qualities despite their agricultural style of play.

Stoke, on the other hand, always seemed more interested in getting in their opponents’ faces than playing football. I do not think anyone is surprised to learn that Pulis demanded regular time wasting from his players.

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Souttar has come on leaps and bounds since establishing himself as a regular in the Stoke City starting eleven last campaign.

It was previously reported that Tottenham had scouted the defender and were continuing to track his progress, with the North London club said to be facing competition from Everton for the Australian international (Stoke Sentinel).

Football Insider claimed ahead of the January transfer window that Spurs could intensify their pursuit of the 23-year-old, with Stoke ‘braced’ for offers.

However, ahead of the transfer window, the centre-back picked up an ACL injury, which ruled him out of action for the rest of the season (Transfermarkt).

The centre-back has now spoken about his recovery and insisted that he is taking things slow since he does not plan on leaving the Championship club this summer.

Souttar told Stoke’s official wesbite: “I have a few years left on my contract here so I am going to be here for the foreseeable future, so it is about making sure I don’t put myself at any unnecessary risk by rushing back from this injury.

“I’ve have had a really good chat with the manager, and he knows where I am at, what I am doing and the like but he has also reassured me just to take as much time as I need to.”

Spurs Web Opinion

The injury probably ended any chance Souttar had of being picked up by the likes of Spurs for the time being. Interested clubs will likely want to wait and see how the centre-back recovers as some players are never the same following an ACL injury.

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Markanday has been thriving for Spurs U23s in the Premier League 2 this season, tallying an impressive 10 goals and four assists in 11 appearances. 

The Spurs academy starlet’s impressive run of form saw him pick up the Premier League 2 Player of the Month award for October and the 20-year-old also made his senior debut for Tottenham in the Europa Conference League clash against Vitesse Arnhem.

Football League World revealed last week that four different Championship clubs had expressed an interest in signing the youngster on loan in January.

However, Sky Sports have now revealed that Markanday, who has just six months left on his contract, could be in line for a permanent exit from Spurs when the transfer window reopens.

It is revealed that while Tottenham would prefer the youngster to sign a new contract and go out on loan, the likes of Bournemouth, Stoke and Nottingham Forest are ready to promise the youngster regular first-team football.

While Markanday’s long-term desire is to play for the Spurs first-team, it is explained that the youngster could be tempted by a move to the Championship in search of regular first-team football. 

Spurs Web Opinion

Spurs should be doing everything in their power to convince Markanday to sign a new deal. Perhaps handing him a few opportunities in the FA Cup and the Europa Conference League over the coming weeks and months would help persuade the youngster to stay. 

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The 20-year-old has been thriving for Spurs U23s in the Premier League 2 this season, tallying an impressive 10 goals and four assists in 11 appearances. 

His performances captured the attention of the club’s first-team staff earlier this term, which earned him his senior debut in the 1-0 defeat to Vitesse Arnhem in the Europa Conference League.  

Markanday has not appeared in the Spurs squad since his debut, which has left the club with a decision to make regarding his progress for the rest of the campaign. 

However, Football League World claim Spurs have been contacted by Championship sides Bournemouth, Nottingham Forest, Stoke City and Blackburn Rovers, who are all registering their interest in the forward ahead of a possible loan move in January. 

The report claims Spurs could be willing to allow Markanday to depart the club this winter in a bid to further his development in a senior environment. 

Spurs Web Opinion 

While Markanday is thriving for the reserves, this could be a good move for himself and Spurs as it will allow him to gain vital experience in a first-team environment. The club has typically had mixed results from loan moves in the past though, so they will have to be wary of that. 

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Souttar, who established himself as a regular in the Stoke City starting eleven last campaign, has enjoyed a great start to the new season with the Potters.

According to previous reports, Tottenham had scouted the defender this season and were continuing to track his progress, with the North London club said to be facing competition from Everton for the Australian international.

Football Insider claimed last month that Spurs could intensify their pursuit of the 23-year-old ahead of the January transfer window, with Stoke ‘braced’ for offers.

However, the centre-back picked up a nasty injury in Australia’s 0-0 World Cup qualifying draw with Saudi Arabia in Sydney on Thursday and had to be stretchered off.

Stoke Sentinel have now revealed that scans have shown Souttar has injured his right cruciate ligament, with the defender now expected to be out of action for the remainder of the season.

Spurs Web Opinion

Given that reports were suggesting that Souttar was admired by Nuno, I do wonder if the Stoke man was a target for Spurs after the Portuguese coach’s departure.

One would think that Conte will look towards the Serie A for transfer targets as the Italian would want to bring in players he is familiar with.

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Reports have emerged that Tottenham have been keeping tabs on Souttar, 23, following his impressive start to the season with the Potters in the Championship. 

Spurs are not alone in their interest in the towering Australia international and are allegedly accompanied by Premier League sides Everton and Aston Villa. 

However, Football Insider claim the N17 side could intensify their chase for Souttar as Nuno is a big fan of the defender and previously attempted to lure him to the top tier while he was Wolves boss. 

The report adds that Stoke are aware of the interest from sides in the Premier League and are allegedly ‘braced’ to receive offers in the January transfer window. 

Souttar has been a regular for Stoke over the past two seasons, making 51 Championship appearances in total. He has started 13 of Stoke’s 14 fixtures in the league so far this season, while captaining the side on four occasions (TransferMarkt).

Spurs Web Opinion 

Souttar appears to be doing well for Stoke so far this season so it is not too surprising that he is garnering interest from the Premier League.

The Championship is such a good place to pick up talent for a relatively modest price, so this will be one to keep an eye on going forward. 

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Reports emerged that the towering central defender had appeared on the radar of both Premier League sides, and each club even sent scouts to watch the Australia international in action. 

Souttar has been one of the Potters’ most consistent players throughout the opening stages of the Championship, building on his breakthrough campaign last season. 

The 22-year-old recently distanced himself from any transfer speculation linking him with a move away from Stoke, claiming his current focus is solely on aiming to get the side promoted to the Premier League. 

Although Souttar is electing not to pay attention to a potential move up the football pyramid, Stoke boss O’Neill believes the links are positive for the club and the interest from the Premier League is a compliment. 

He told the Stoke Sentinel: “Harry has had a very strong start to the season. He’s obviously playing senior international football and appears to have established himself in the Australia national team. That will obviously generate interest.

“I think that’s a positive for us as a club. We’re in a strong position. We signed these young players on long-term contracts and the idea is they would become prominent players here and hopefully help us get back to the Premier League.

“They are young players and all have ambitions to play at the top level of the game. The fact there’s interest [is a positive].”

Spurs Web Opinion 

The Championship is a goldmine for young talent and a place where Premier League sides can pick up promising players for a modest value.

Second division sides are starting to clock onto the interest from above though, like Stoke and Souttar, and are likely to put up a bit more of a fight for their assets. 

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Souttar, who established himself as a regular in the Stoke City starting eleven last campaign, has had a great start to the new season with the Potters.

Michael O’Neill’s side currently sit just three points off the top of the table, thanks in part to the 22-year-old’s solid defensive displays.

The Stoke Sentinel reported suggested last week that Tottenham had scouted the defender this season and are continuing to track his progress, with the North London club said to be facing competition from Everton for the Australian international.

Souttar’s international boss, Graham Arnold has backed the 6 ft 6 in defender to shine in the Premier League if he makes the step up to the top flight soon.

However, the Stoke star has now insisted that he is keeping his feet on the ground and is fully focussed on doing well for his club this season.

When asked about the speculation over his future, the defender told The West Australian: “I think it’s just all paper talk, to be honest with you.

“There was a lot of things said but I tend not to try and read it or try and get involved in it at all.

“We just started (the season in) October, the transfer market’s been and gone.

“My focus right now is solely on the Socceroos and as soon as I get back to club football it’s purely on Stoke City and trying to get the club promoted back to the Premier League.”

Spurs Web Opinion 

While I would like to see Spurs bring in a top-quality centre-back in January, I do not think it would make much sense to bring in a player like Souttar, who is unproven at the top level despite showing great potential. I would rather see Nuno handing Joe Rodon a run of matches so that the Welshman can build up some confidence and show what he can do.

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Souttar established himself as a regular in the Stoke City starting eleven last campaign and the centre-back has gone from strength to strength since then.

The Australian international’s solid defensive displays at the back are one of the main reasons behind the impressive start that Michael O’Neill’s side have made to the Championship season.

StokeSentinel reported earlier this week that Tottenham had scouted the defender this season and are continuing to track his progress.

However, the report added that the North London club could face competition from Everton for the Stoke man, with the Toffees alleged to be eyeing him as a potential replacement for Yerry Mina.

Arnold has backed Souttar to shine in the Premier League, admitting that a big transfer for the defender would only benefit the Socceroos.

When asked about the rumoured transfer interest in the centre-back, the Australia boss told The Sydney Morning Herald: “There were a few whispers just before we went to the Olympics about a few Premier League clubs (being interested).

“He’s doing exceptionally well. He’s got a coach that trusts him enormously in Michael O’Neill. 

“Harry’s got so much potential. He’s great to have around. He’s got such a great mentality and he’s such a great kid. 

“It’s fantastic for Australia and for Harry if those type of things (a move to the Premier League) happen.”

Spurs Web Opinion 

Given Souttar’s age and potential, he certainly fits with the profile of signings Paratici made over the summer as part of his rebuild. However, I would personally like to see Joe Rodon being handed a run of opportunities. 

Signing another centre-back in January would almost certainly spell the end of the Welshman’s immediate chances at Spurs unless the club decide to loan him out.

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Souttar signed for Stoke from Dundee United in 2017 and following a couple of loan spells, established himself as a regular in the Potters starting eleven last campaign.

The Australian international has started the new campaign where he left off last season, with his solid defensive displays being one of the main reasons behind Stoke’s strong start.

StokeSentinel claim that former Spurs boss, David Pleat, has watched Souttar in action as the North London club continue to track his progress.

However, it appears that Tottenham are not alone in their admiration of the 22-year-old, with the report claiming that ‘scouts have been flocking’ to Stoke to run the rule over the defender.

The Sun have revealed that Everton’s assistant coach, Duncan Ferguson, has also watched Souttar in action, with the Toffees thought to be eyeing the Stoke man as a potential replacement for Yerry Mina, who has allegedly expressed his desire to leave Goodison Park.

Spurs Web Opinion

Several Premier League clubs have proven over the last few years that there are some great bargains to be had from the EFL if clubs can identify the right talent.

However, I would rather see Rodon being given more of an opportunity this season rather than seeing us snap up a player like Souttar, who is of a similar profile to the Welshman.

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However, after two years and three somewhat unsuccessful loan spells, the upcoming season could be influential for the England U20 starlet’s career at Tottenham Hotspur.

Clarke, 20, joined Spurs in July 2019 from Leeds United for £10m, becoming the club’s first signing in 18 months after impressive performances for Yorkshire club in the Championship.

The winger played 22 times in England’s second division throughout the 2018/19 campaign, scoring twice, but his all-around performances for Marcelo Bisela’s side persuaded the North London club to splash the cash for a future prospect.

Although two years into his time at the club, we’re still waiting to see if the youngster can rediscover his potential that was so highly touted in Leeds.

Since joining the club, Clarke has been loaned out to three Championship clubs, including immediately re-signing for Leeds United once he joined Spurs, but only made one appearance in the Championship before Spurs cut short his loan in January.

He was sent back out on loan to QPR for the second half of the 2019/20 season, but once again, made just seven appearances, which were all cameos from the bench.

Despite two unsuccessful loan spells in the Championship, Jose Mourinho decided to keep the youngsters at the club for the first part of the 2020/20 season, making his debut for Spurs in the 3-0 victory against LASK in the Europa League group stage.

According to Football.London, Clarke impressed the Portuguese manager when he returned to the club and in training with his ability and fitness levels.

So, if one of the most successful managers in football can see potential in the 20-year-old, why are Spurs supporters so quick to judge him?

He spent the first half of the campaign learning alongside two world-class players in Harry Kane and Gareth Bale, and the latter had to follow a similar path to make his breakthrough at White Hart Lane.

At the age of 17, Bale joined Spurs from then Championship side Southampton, eventually becoming one of Tottenham’s greatest players in the Premier League era. However, it took him two or three seasons before he found anything close to exceptional form at the club.

The Welshman was close to leaving Spurs before discovering that unstoppable form, becoming an influential figure in North London, and the same patience may be needed for Clarke.

The 20-year-old spent the second half of the 2020/21 season at Stoke City and had a fairly successful time, featuring in 14 games as he grabbed two assists, but his performances were well-received by the Potters’ supporters.

Unfortunately, Clarke had his time at Stoke City cut short due to injury and suffered another setback in his Spurs career, just after showing little moments of rediscovering his form that persuaded Spurs to sign him.

So, what is the next step for Jack Clarke?

Without a manager currently at the helm for the Lilywhites, it’s difficult to say where Clarke should be next season, either staying at the club or spending another campaign on loan.

However, one thing that Clarke desperately needs at this moment in his career is to play week in, week out and to have a full campaign without suffering any setbacks.

Oliver Skipp is the perfect example of a season-long loan working perfectly for youngsters, and that needs to be highlighted to Clarke ahead of next season.

On the other hand, Clarke could have plenty of opportunities to feature for Spurs next season, especially after the club qualified for UEFA’s third-tier European competition, the Europa Conference League.

Also, he would continue to train alongside the likes of Kane and Heung-Min Son for another campaign, which was clearly beneficial to the teenager earlier this season.

Whatever the decision is made by the winger ahead of next season, one thing is for sure, Clarke will need a whole season without any injuries or setbacks, as his Spurs career is treading on a fine line, but the club shouldn’t give up on the 20-year-old just yet.

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It was revealed earlier this week that the youngster had returned to Hotspur Way from his loan spell with Stoke City due to the injury.

If the time scale reported by Football Insider is correct, it would confirm that Clarke is not expected to link up with Stoke again in the Championship this season.

However, the report does claim that the Potters are keen on taking the Spurs youngster on loan again next season should such a move be possible. If correct, it would seem as though Clarke has earned some admirers at the Championship club.

A Tottenham source reportedly informed Football Insider that the medical team at Hotspur Way will now meet with Clarke to plan his rehabilitation but he is expected to remain on the sidelines for a minimum of six weeks.

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Clarke was loaned out to Stoke in January after impressing during a few first-team cameos for Tottenham in the first few months of the campaign.

The spell at the Bet365 stadium proved much more fruitful for the youngster than the stints he had at Leeds and Queens Park Rangers last season.

The 20-year-old’s ability to drive at the opposition made him quite popular among some Stoke fans.

However, it was reported last week that Clarke had suffered an Achilles injury that could keep him out of action for six weeks and he was set to return to his parent club.

The winger who joined Spurs from Leeds United for £10million (Football.London) has now taken to Instagram to confirm that his spell with the Potters has been cut short due to the injury and thanked everyone at Stoke for welcoming him.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jack Clarke (@jrclarke_)

Spurs Web Opinion

Clarke has certainly shown enough over the last couple of months for plenty of Championship clubs to vie for his signature in the summer. I would expect the 20-year-old to be loaned out again next season.

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Clarke joined Stoke in January after putting in a few promising cameos for Tottenham in the first half of the season.

In stark contrast to his disappointing stints at Leeds and QPR last campaign, the winger hit the ground running at the Bet365 stadium.

The youngster got 14 appearances under his belt in the Championship and demonstrated his ability to run at defenders and make things happen in the final third.

Some Stoke fans were left singing the 20-year-old’s praises on the back of his displays. However, Football Insider have now confirmed that Clarke has picked up an achilles injury which is expected to keep him out of action for six weeks.

The winger’s spell at Stoke is thus set to come to a premature end, with Clarke returning to Spurs for his rehabilitation.

Spurs Web Opinion

It is a shame that Clarke’s loan spell has ended in this manner but the winger has certainly shown enough quality during his short time at Stoke for plenty of Championship clubs to be interested in signing him for next season. I would expect the 20-year-old to be loaned out again next campaign.

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Clarke had a really disappointing 2019/20 season as he struggled to make an impression during his loan spells with Leeds or QPR.

Jose Mourinho decided to keep the winger at Spurs for the first half of the season and the 20-year-old not only got an opportunity to train with the likes of Harry Kane and Gareth Bale but he also got a couple of senior appearances under his belt for the North Londoners.

That seems to have done Clarke’s confidence a world of good as the youngster has looked quite dangerous since joining Stoke.

Smith told Football.London regarding the Spurs man’s performances at the Bet 365 stadium: “He’s shown glimpses of what he might offer, at his best when he running at defenders.

“At the moment, he’s probably been more useful drawing fouls than getting killer deliveries into the final third but he’s been unlucky not to have a few assists to his name.

“A couple of his crosses which have been converted have been chalked off for marginal offside calls and he’s also been unlucky that Steven Fletcher and Tyrese Campbell, Stoke’s main strikers, have either been playing through pain or out injured.

“Stoke’s xG, if you’re into that kind of thing, is 1.43 when he’s playing but they’ve only averaged 0.83 actual goals.”

However, Clarke is yet to establish himself in the Stoke side, starting just 6 of 14 games since his move to the club.

When asked what the winger needs to do to start regularly, Smith said: “Probably be more ruthless.

“Stoke need their wingers to supply goals and assists pretty regularly if they’re going with a 4-3-3 and that what will be his currency.”

However, the journalist suggested that the youngster is unlikely to return to Stoke on loan next season.

He added: “Loans are such an important market for Championship clubs because of the Financial Fair Play rules. You need them to fizz. Clarke can probably be a game-changer at some point down the line but how soon can you rely on him to do that fairly regularly?

“There’s no doubt he would benefit from a season in the Championship but Stoke’s priority will be trying to build a squad to challenge for promotion rather than develop someone else’s player. If he does re-sign it will be a big show of faith.”

Spurs Web Opinion

From the cameos Clarke has had for Spurs, he seems like a technically tidy player who is lacking the aggression and drive to make more of an impact on games. Based on Smith’s assessment, it does not seem like we have learned anything new about the 20-year-old from his time at Stoke. I expect the former Leeds man to be loaned out to a Championship club again next season.

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After having a season to forget in 2019/20, Clarke seems to have made progress this season.

The youngster trained with the Tottenham first-team until January and impressed for the Under-23s while also having a couple of decent cameos for Jose Mourinho’s men in the Europa League (tranfermarkt.com).

The wide man joined the Potters on loan during the January transfer window and has had an impressive start to his spell at the club.

The 20-year-old seems to have established himself in the Stoke starting eleven and is displaying the kind of promise that pushed the North Londoners to sign him for £10m from Leeds in 2019.

However, Stoke were taken to the cleaners against league-leaders Norwich on Saturday, with the Canaries ending up 4-1 winners.

Clarke was replaced by on-loan Schalke man Rabbi Matondo at the interval and some Stoke fans blasted O’Neill for his decision to take the Spurs youngster off.

Here’s how they reacted to Clarke being subbed at half-time:

Fuming with this at the time and it seems as if Clarke has been the one hung out to dry rather than the experienced bunch. Unacceptable from O’Neill and I’m one of his biggest fans.

— All Things Stoke (@AllThingsStoke) February 14, 2021

https://twitter.com/webbySCFC/status/1360621328055820288

You are messing with me https://t.co/FehrWNCbeZ

— el pottersaurus (@FPLstokelona) February 13, 2021

Well this isn’t the way https://t.co/rIk8Agi8VK

— Toby (@tobyedwards9) February 13, 2021

Wrong Sub. Cousins for Mikel was the obvious call and try to push on.

— Potters (@PottersSCFC01) February 13, 2021

He’s got to be injured right!!

— Uncle Ronge AKA sexy binman (@UncleRBenson) February 13, 2021

Really not helping himself

— bill (@BFinneron) February 13, 2021

LUDICROUS, NONSENSICAL, INEXPLICABLE, UNJUSTIFIABLE.

— Stokie’73 (@potter2207) February 13, 2021

Talk about knocking Clarke’s confidence

— Elliot Lungrin (@Elliot_Lungrin) February 13, 2021

Spurs Web Opinion

It is clear based on the reaction of these Stoke fans that Clarke has already won them over. Like many Spurs fans, I feared last season that we might have thrown away £10m on the youngster after his struggles on loan at Leeds and QPR.

However, the 20-year-old has demonstrated this season that he has the talent to develop into a decent winger. Even if he does not become a first-team regular for Spurs in the future, he could potentially go on to have a career in the Premier League or in the top-end of the Championship.

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Clarke had a season to forget last time out as his loan spells with Leeds and QPR both turned out to be major disappointments, with the youngster struggling to get minutes under his belt.

However, it appears as if the winger’s time at the Bet365 stadium has got off to a much better start.

After two decent cameos off the bench against Blackburn Rovers and Rotherham, O’Neill decided to hand the Tottenham man a start against Watford on Saturday.

Clarke was one of the Potters’ most dangerous players until he came off in the 82nd minute and, despite Stoke falling to a 2-1 defeat at home, the winger showed enough to suggest that he could make a big impact this season.

When asked what he made of Clarke’s performance, O’Neill told Stoke Sentinel: “I thought he was very good.”

“You can see straight away his ability on the ball. He can handle the ball very well. I thought he linked very well with Nathan Collins on that side and Joe Allen.

“That’s two very young players who handled it very well against two very good players on that side. It was a good start from Jack.

“In the three games since he’s come in he’s shown great quality and I think he can add something to us.”

Spurs Web Opinion

Although it is still early days, Clarke looks much more confident at Stoke than he did during his loan spells last season. He seems more willing to take players on instead of playing safe. Training with the Tottenham first-team appears to have done the youngster a world of good.

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