Quantcast
Blogs

Clark must not leave this summer

|
Image for Clark must not leave this summer

OPINION

It must be a hard life being Newcastle United defender Ciaran Clark at the moment – there are currently four players ahead of him in the pecking order.

This means that he has only been afforded 11 Premier League appearances this season, and that is something is down to the talent that Rafa Benitez currently has his disposal.

It is no surprise then, that the Chronicle have reported that he is someone that the Magpies could sell in the summer, along with full-back Javier Manquillo.

Clark, when Benitez had a number of defensive injuries towards the beginning of the season, stood in at full-back when the manager had no other options. This is a role that he excelled in, despite his key position being a centre-back.

This indicates the versatility he has in its toolbox, which is why Benitez must avoid selling the 29-year-old this summer. Clark is one of the most reliable options the manager has to call upon in case of injuries, and he would be making a big blunder by offloading him.

Yes, he has not played that much this season, but that does not mean that he cannot be useful to Benitez in the future. Left-back options at Newcastle are also limited with Antonio Barreca set to return to Monaco in the summer, which leaves the likes of Paul Dummett as his sole natural option.

He has been a loyal servant to the Magpies since he signed in 2016, and to just get rid of him in the summer after the way he has contributed over the years would be harsh.

There is no denying the quality that he has, and to be honest, it is not his fault that he has fallen down the pecking order. His form has not warranted him to be sitting on the bench for the majority of games this term, and that is something that Benitez would recognise.

Newcastle must make a big effort to keep him at the club, as they may regret it if they do not.

Share this article