Defender seals Derby move after Portsmouth links are rubbished | Former Fratton favourite joins relegation rival on loan
Matt Clarke has rejoined Pompey’s relegation rivals Derby County.
The defender, who was also linked with a return to Fratton Park this month, has joined Paul Warne’s side until the end of the season after an undisclosed agreement was reached with Middlesbrough.
He’ll boost a Rams backline that has lost Curtis Nelson through injury for the rest of the season and could potentially be without Eiran Cashin in the very near future, with Brighton reportedly closing in on a deal for the £15m-rated centre-back.
Clarke, who was in the final six months of his Boro contract, enjoyed two spells at Pride Park while on loan from Brighton, making 81 appearances between 2019-21.
After sealing his Middlesbrough departure, the former Pompey player of the year told Rams TV: ‘As soon as I heard that there was a possibility to come back, I was over the moon.
‘I suppose it shows how much I've enjoyed being here, and I suppose from the club's point of view, obviously you've done something right, and it wouldn't keep bringing me back.’
Derby are currently 22nd in the Championship table and two points behind 21st-place Pompey, who play their game in hand against Millwall tonight.
Clarke made 17 appearances for Middlesbrough this season before his Riverside Stadium exit but has found himself increasingly on the fringes of Michael Carrick’s first team in recent weeks.
Pompey were linked with a move for the defender over the weekend, but The News understands those reports were wide of the mark. The Blues have already brought in two centre-backs during the transfer window - Rob Atkinson and Hayden Matthews - and have turned their attentions to attacking reinforcements for the remainder of the transfer window.
Another former Blue on the move
Clarke isn’t the only ex-Pompey player on the move on day 28 of the January window.
Fellow former League Two title-winner Kal Naismith has also switched clubs after he completed a loan deal to rejoin Luton.
The 32-year-old made 68 appearances for the Hatters before leaving at the end of the 2021-22 season and moving to the Robins.
‘I'm delighted and excited to be back and grateful to get this opportunity. It's not often people get second chances, but I'm back to try and have a positive impact on the team between now and the end of the season,’ Naismith told the Luton website.
Matt Bloomfield’s side sit second-from-bottom in the Championship table, three points from safety.
In order to bolster their hopes of survival, the Kenilworth Road side are also closing in on the £3m signing of Wigan attacking midfielder Thelo Aasgaard. They have also submitted a £6m bid for Wycombe forward Richard Kone.