Tottenham could recall Jack Clarke from his loan spell at Leeds United earlier than initially planned, according to The Sun journalist Alan Nixon.
The young winger signed a permanent deal with Spurs over the summer before being lent back to his boyhood club on a season-long loan.
But the teenager has only played twice this season, with both appearances coming in the Carabao Cup, and it is understood that Mauricio Pochettino is exploring the idea of taking him back to north London early to send him out to a different club for the second half of the season.
Sharing a photograph of his article in today’s print edition of The Sun, Nixon wrote on his personal Twitter account: “Spurs. Looking around for poss loan move for Jack Clarke in second half of season.
“Current one not working out too well.”
Spurs. Looking around for poss loan move for Jack Clarke in second half of season. Current one not working out too well. pic.twitter.com/Ts1EVUQOlV
— Alan Nixon (@reluctantnicko) September 29, 2019
Would losing Clarke be such a bad thing for Leeds?
If you’d asked this question at the end of last season, the answer would almost certainly have been yes.
The young winger was seriously impressive during his breakout year at Elland Road, so much so that Tottenham were willing to pay £10 million over the summer for his services.
His dribble success rate of 55.6%, as per Wyscout, was 5.4% better than Pablo Hernandez’s from last term, as per Wyscout.
His Whoscored rating of 6.5 may have left a bit to be desired, but it was still only o.11 worse than that of Jack Harrison, who started 30 games more than the teenager.
This season, however, things have gone somewhat awry for the youngster.
Just two Carabao Cup appearances would suggest that Marcelo Bielsa does not see him as a significant component in his plans this season, despite him showing the occasional flash of his capabilities over the course of those matches.
Clarke has completed 100% of his attempted dribbles so far this term, as well as winning 63.6% of his offensive duels, as per Wyscout.
Again, as a point of reference, Hernandez has won 42.5% of his duels, as per Wyscout.
And yet, Bielsa continues to snub him. That would suggest that there is something more going on behind the scenes, and if that is the case, then Spurs should pull the plug on this loan before Clarke is set back in his development for an entire year.
Honestly, Leeds probably wouldn’t even miss him.