Recent Spurs signing will be ‘fuming’ claims former striker

Former Leeds United striker Noel Whelan believes that Jack Clarke will be ‘fuming’ at how he has been treated this season.

The 18-year-old became Tottenham Hotspur’s first signing of the summer transfer window when he completed an £8.5milion move and was immediately loaned back to his former club (talkSPORT).

The winger is yet to appear for Leeds in the Championship during the current campaign, with his only appearance coming in the Carabao Cup victory at Salford City.

He has not been included in Marcelo Bielsa’s plans for two consecutive matches after being impacted by the EFL rules where a club can only name five loanees in their match day squad.

Whelan instead believes that Bielsa should be looking to sacrifice back-up goalkeeper Ilan Meslier who is on loan from French Ligue 2 side Lorient and instead utilise Clarke.

Tottenham will certainly be keeping a close eye on the situation with their recent investment only having played 70 minutes of first-team football this season and even found himself turning out for Leeds’ Under-23 side last week against Millwall.

Whelan told Football Insider: “There is a bit of an issue there for Leeds,”

“Someone has to forfeit a place on the bench because of the rule, and Jack Clarke is the one missing out.

“This is the choice of Marcelo Bielsa, and it’s something he is going to have to carefully manage. Clarke is a big weapon to have on the bench and is a brilliant player to be able to call upon when you’re chasing a game or opening up defences on the counterattack.

“If it was up to me, I would forfeit the use of the young goalkeeper Illan Meslier. A back-up keeper is only on the bench for a freak injury. It rarely happens, and Leeds are betting off having a matchwinner like Clarke.

“He will be fuming that he’s not being picked, and you can’t blame him for that. I can’t see it changing soon, unless one of the loan players gets injured.”

Related Topics