A report from TEAMtalk has said that Portsmouth defender Matt Clarke is set to join Premier League side Brighton and Hove Albion, amid reported transfer interest from Championship quintet Leeds United, Stoke City, Bristol City, Hull City and Reading.
Portsmouth’s star centre-back Matt Clarke has been heavily linked with a move away from Fratton Park this summer after another strong season with the South-coast side. Championship sides Leeds United, Stoke City, Bristol City, Hull City and Reading have all been credited with interest in Clarke.
But, it is Premier League outfit Brighton and Hove Albion – managed by former Swansea City boss Graham Potter – who have reportedly won the race for his signature, with a deal in place in to bring Clarke to the AMEX Stadium with Lewis Dunk attracting interest from Leicester City.
Clarke is set to join the Seagulls in a £6 million deal which will see him make the step up from League One to the Premier League.
Clarke has been a star man for Portsmouth ever since he joined on loan from Ipswich Town in 2015, before making his move permanent in the summer of 2016. He has gone on to play 175 times for the club, making a seriously impressive 60 appearances in this season alone.
The defender has proved almost impossible to dislodge from Kenny Jackett’s starting eleven this season, with his strong form warranting a place in the defence of the PFA League One Team of the Season. Now, after four seasons with Pompey, he seems set to make a move away to test himself in the top flight.
