Leeds United has had to sell several of its top academy products in recent years.
Lewis Cook, Ronaldo Vieira, and, even farther back, Fabian Delph all had to be traded before fully blossoming at Elland Road, and Leeds have occasionally had to live with the consequences of those decisions.
Jack Clarke, one of Leeds’ most promising academy graduates in recent years, left the club after only one season in the senior squad.
Phil Hay has been speaking on The Square Ball Podcast about Clarke and his departure from Leeds, and he says that the club was more than pleased to sell the winger when Spurs came in, claiming that they were delighted with the amount because they weren’t convinced he would kick on.
Leeds were happy to sell Clarke
Hay explained what he knows about the winger.
“You know what is weird about Jack Clarke though, when he was sold Leeds were delighted with the fee, not because they didn’t rate him, but they weren’t sure he was going to train on, and they didn’t think he was, at that stage, worth that, but if you sold him now you’d easily make a profit on that £9.4m,” Hay went on to say.
Kicked on
Well, it’s fair to say that Leeds were mistaken on this one.
Of course, the Whites did appear vindicated as Clarke flopped at Tottenham, but now, he’s arguably the greatest winger in the Championship at Sunderland, and he’ll undoubtedly be playing Premier League games next season one way or another.
Clarke has made significant progress over the last two years, and it’s fair to say that Leeds underestimated this young man’s potential and future value.
Clarke is undeniably more valuable than the amount Leeds paid Tottenham for him.
