Exclusive: Lee Hendrie directs clear Jack Clarke transfer message at Ipswich Town | OneFootball

Lee Hendrie has given his take on whether Ipswich should retain Jack Clarke this summer amid interest from PSV Eindhoven.

Lee Hendrie has urged Ipswich Town to retain Jack Clarke this summer amid interest from Dutch giants PSV Eindhoven.

The Tractor Boys signed the 24-year-old from Sunderland at the start of this season for a fee of up to £20 million. Unfortunately, his time in East Anglia has been something of a disappointment, as the left-winger has struggled with the step-up to the Premier League, managing just four assists in his 26 top-flight appearances.

Despite this, Clarke could be offered a potential step-up with PSV looking to sign the winger, according to Football Insider. Kieran McKenna's side would be looking to recoup the fee they paid for him if sold.

To many, this might seem like a straightforward decision if the Dutch side meet the asking price. However, with Ipswich likely to drop back into the Championship, they may be forced to rethink their position on the former Sunderland man.

Over his last two seasons in the division, he’s scored 24 goals and provided 16 assists - numbers that McKenna may be reluctant to lose if he’s aiming for an immediate return to the Premier League.

Lee Hendrie wants to see Jack Clarke stay at Ipswich

Speaking exclusively to Football League World about the prospect of Ipswich selling Jack Clarke this summer, Lee Hendrie admitted that the winger could be a key cog in helping the Tractor Boys bounce back from relegation.

"He is a player most teams would be looking at because of formations and the fact he can play in a number of positions in that forward area," the Sky Sports pundit told FLW. "He is direct, capable of scoring goals, has good delivery of the ball, provides assists and offers creativity.

"There is talk of PSV being very keen on taking him.

"I would try and keep hold of Jack Clarke. I think Ipswich could bounce straight back to the Premier League if they can keep hold of key players, and he is one of them. If you start offloading, you down tools and you send the wrong message.

"I think they will try and keep a lot of their players. The people that are being linked away heavily are the likes of Delap, because he has that release clause in his contract.

"You would think that most players at Ipswich believe they can bounce back and get into the Premier League, with bringing the right players in as well. But Jack Clarke would be one I would be keeping."

Ipswich's relegation could provide a reset

As Hendrie alluded to, if Ipswich can retain their top talent and supplement that with a few smart additions, they stand a strong chance of making an immediate return to the top flight.

While they haven’t been relegated yet, it would take something of a miracle to survive from this point, having managed just four wins all season.

However, as we've seen in the past, dropping down a division, regrouping, and using that experience to launch a comeback the following season can prove effective. Burnley have done it, as have Fulham and Bournemouth in recent years, to name just a few.

Clarke would undoubtedly be a key figure in that project. Given his proven success in the Championship, he looks like a player Ipswich simply must keep.