According to reports Leeds United are one of numberous clubs interested in signing Sheffield Wednesday youngster Sean Clare on a free transfer this summer. Leeds face competition from Premier League clubs as well as the Old Firm if the reports are accurate.
Clare broke into the Sheffield Wednesday squad in the second half of last season after the South Yorkshire club sacked Carlos Carvahal and started rebuilding without the big names. The midfielder impressed but Wednesday struggled to improve from the first half of the season which had been very poor and now it seems like he won’t be signing a new deal with the South Yorkshire club.
🔥 EXCLUSIVE 🔥
Wolves, Fulham, Everton and Leeds all make enquiries as Aston Villa pull back on deal for Sheffield Wednesday midfielder.https://t.co/g4hbNXM9DF pic.twitter.com/UnC4kZs9Tu— TEAMtalk (@TEAMtalk) June 14, 2018
Leeds have been fighting their own battles not to lose a young player on a free transfer this summer, England under 21 star Tom Pearce has been out of contract and it was a very similar situation for him as it is for Clare. Pearce, like Clare was set to be let go, although in Clare’s case he was to be sold to Gillingham where he spent the first half of the season on loan. Wednesday realised the ability and left it late to offer a new deal. As Leeds convinced Pearce to pen a new four-year-deal Wednesday haven’t been able to replicate that with Clare.
Aston Villa had been heavily linked with signing the talented youngster but for obvious reasons now can no longer compete with other clubs and have pulled out. These reports today suggest that there are plenty of clubs after Clare including Premier League and even Celtic and Rangers who both have a huge pull despite the league they play in. European football and Steven Gerrard is Brendan Rogers await players who decide to take up a club in Glasgow, not something easy to turn down.
What Leeds do have is a good reputation of playing youngsters and improving them, as well as the fact Clare wouldn’t have to relocate if he moved just a short motorway trip north of Sheffield. Clubs wouldn’t have to pay much in compensation due to Clare not playing stacks of first-team football at Wednesday. Is Clare what Leeds need though? Probably not, he’s a player that needs time to develop and Leeds already have a host of them at the club.
This is one of the slowest starts to a tansfer window in Leeds’ recent history and this deal probably wouldn’t make much sense. Leeds need players who are experienced to help the young players along and throwing more expectations on new young players isn’t the right fit. The question is, who’s wanting this deal? I can’t see Marcelo Bielsa reccomending a young player who’s only played limited first-team football, somehow.
