£15k-a-week Ipswich Town man will have big Portman Road decision if Ashley Young signs | OneFootball

Ipswich Town closing in on the free-transfer capture of Ashley Young could make Harry Clarke decide to leave Portman Road.

Ipswich Town are closing in on the free-transfer capture of former Manchester United and England star Ashley Young, which could mean the end of Harry Clarke's hometown spell with the Tractor Boys.

Young has 485 Premier League appearances to his name, along with 50 goals and 74 assists - along with the Red Devils, the full-back has also played for Watford, Aston Villa, and Everton.

As per a report from talkSPORT, Young is "likely" to join the Tractor Boys after a proposed Vicarage Road reunion collapsed when Watford refused to break their wage structure.

Kieran McKenna worked with Young at Old Trafford and views the veteran's leadership as an asset in a squad aiming to bounce straight back to the Premier League.

Despite turning 40 earlier this month, Young played 32 top-flight games for Everton last season and is likely expected to slot straight in on the right of Ipswich's back four.

Harry Clarke's potential dilemma if Ashley Young signs for Ipswich Town

Harry Clarke's signing from Arsenal in January 2023 looked a long-term solution for Town, but a Premier League disaster in his first Premier League start v Brentford and autumn achilles surgery stalled momentum in 24/25.

In Ipswich's first game of the 24/25 season against the Bees, Clarke dropped what was described as "the worst performance" in Premier League history - scoring an own goal, giving away a penalty, and then topping it off with a red card.

Back from a half-season loan at Sheffield United, Ben Johnson is already ahead of him - leaving Young's potential arrival pushing Clarke further down the depth chart just as his deal enters its final year.

An option to extend to 2027 is club-controlled too, and not guaranteed.

For the Ipswich-born defender, who earns an estimated £15k-per-week (per Capology's estimates), he could bank on his athleticism - and Young's age - to reclaim the shirt, but would need to impress quickly to avoid another exile.

At 24, this should be the phase of his career where he's playing regular football and showing his full potential. After all, he did make 35 appearances the last time the Tractor Boys were in the second-tier.

Harry Clarke could seek permanent exit from Portman Road

For Sheffield United last season, Clarke only played six times before his temporary spell was cut short due to a recurring foot injury.

It was reported by the Sheffield Star, that Blades' steel city rivals, Sheffield Wednesday, also made a bid to take Clarke on loan.

With another year in Suffolk not guaranteed, a permanent move elsewhere would allow Ipswich to get some funds - instead of potentially losing a home-grown asset for nothing next summer.

If McKenna still sees potential though, the contract extension might protect Clarke's value while giving him time to try and take his place back from either Young or Johnson.

Ipswich risk losing a once-prized asset in Harry Clarke if Ashley Young signs

From Ipswich's point of view, it becomes a delicate balance.

McKenna is clearly building a squad ready to challenge for promotion, and signing a player of Young's calibre comes with immediate upside.

The last time Ashley Young played in the second tier was in the 05/06 season, where he played as a winger for Watford and scored 14 goals as the Hornets were promoted.

As such, he will surely be looking for a big role at Portman Road, and with some evidently sizeable wage demands given Watford pulling out of the deal in relation to that, he may well command one too.

Therefore, Ipswich should also weigh whether keeping Clarke as a backup - and potentially losing him for nothing in 12 months' time - is worth the risk. Selling now could bring in a fee and clear £15k off the wage books.

For Harry Clarke, the looming signing of Ashley Young could be the unfortunate domino that signals the end of his time at the club - it's either he stays and is content with being second (or third) choice at right-back, or take a fresh step elsewhere.