Portsmouth FC join Derby County in transfer battle for Middlesbrough man | OneFootball

Matt Clarke of Middlesbrough is a target for both Portsmouth and Derby County this month.

Derby County are one of two sides targeting Middlesbrough's Matt Clarke, with Portsmouth also in the race for the defender.

Football League World exclusively revealed that Derby are leading the way to sign Middlesbrough's Clarke on loan, but journalist Darren Witcoop has outlined late competition from another of his former clubs in Portsmouth.

A defender whose impact in a Middlesbrough shirt has been limited due to a 14-month injury absence, Clarke has been making up for lost time since returning from his lengthy layoff. The 28-year-old has been largely excellent for Boro in 2024, though.

He has become a real fan favourite among the Riverside faithful for his battling performances in a Boro shirt and is one of the most experienced defenders in the Championship.

However, a combination of the added presence of George Edmundson, and the return of Dael Fry, means that the former Brighton man has a fight on his hands to remain in Carrick's starting XI this season, and he could depart the club this month in search of more regular game time.

Portsmouth join Derby in the race for Matt Clarke

The promise of game time puts Derby in an incredibly strong position, with other sides in the Championship battling Paul Warne for the defender, who has made 14 appearances in the second tier this season.

Supporters are no stranger to the former Portsmouth defender, with Clarke having spent two years at Pride Park between 2019 and 2021 on loan from Brighton. He excelled under both Phillip Cocu and Wayne Rooney, winning the club's Player of the Season award during his first term.

That said, the majority of Clarke's career has been spent at Fratton Park, with 175 appearances for the club he joined from Ipswich Town in 2015, where he became a crucial player. Both clubs are eyeing a reunion with the seasoned defender this month, according to Witcoop:

Middlesbrough could allow Matt Clarke to depart this month

With the club hopeful of a return for fellow central defender Darragh Lenihan around the turn of the year and now that Rav van den Berg is back fit, Middlesbrough's centre-back room is heavily crowded to say the least under Michael Carrick.

That could have Clarke questioning whether Teesside is the best place when it comes to the security of regular game time, and could have clubs sniffing around him as a result.

However, Middlesbrough do have the option to trigger a 12-month extension to Clarke's contract, and you would have to imagine that's something Boro will do, even if it's to ensure they can receive a transfer fee for him should they wish to sell, be that this month or in the summer following a loan spell for the 28-year-old.

Clarke's know-how in the Championship will only help either of Derby or Portsmouth in their ambitions to retain their second tier status. He would be an excellent addition to either side and surely has an appetite to feature more regularly during the peak years of his career.