Tottenham starlet Clarke tipped to sign for new club in January after U-turn – pundit
Alan Hutton has insisted Jack Clarke needs to be playing regularly in order to recapture the form which saw Tottenham sign him.
The former Spurs defender, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, insisted the 20-year-old is “a very good player” but is suffering from the pressures of playing at a big club.
Football Insider has learned from a Tottenham source that manager Nuno Espirito Santo is ready to let Clarke depart on loan.
Championship table-toppers Bournemouth are said to be the front-runners for his signature.
As revealed by Football Insider on 31 August, Clarke changed his mind on a summer loan move after holding discussions with three clubs.
He had hoped to feature in cup competitions under Nuno but has done so only once so far this term.
He made a 45-minute cameo against Pacos de Ferreira in the Europa Conference League.
Hutton insisted Clarke, who has two years left on his contract, needs to regain his confidence with first-team football.
“It’s a shame because I think he’s a very good player,” he told Football Insider’s Russell Edge.
“He’s still young and at a big club so there’s a lot of pressure there.
“He has played in the Europa Conference League, but it hasn’t quite worked for him and I think he needs to be playing regularly to see the best from him.
“He’s a flying winger who likes to take people on and if you’re low on confidence you can shy away from doing that.
“He has to go somewhere and play football.”
If a switch is agreed, it will be Clarke’s fourth loan spell away in two years at the club.
Tottenham signed the youngster for a reported £8.5million from Leeds.
In other news, insider tips Kane “to explode” v West Ham.