West Ham and Wolves will be trembling as Middlesbrough chase huge Ipswich transfer | OneFootball

West Ham and Wolves will be worried about Middlesbrough sealing an ambitious transfer deal with Ipswich Town before the transfer deadline...

Middlesbrough, West Ham, Wolves and Jack Clarke could all have a major say in the Championship promotion race if Boro manage to prise the winger away from Ipswich Town before the transfer deadline.

A deal still feels difficult to envisage given Jack Clarke's importance at Portman Road, but Middlesbrough's interest is significant. If they somehow get it over the line, it could be a genuine game-changer for Kim Hellberg's side.

Their attack has quality but Clarke is in a different class at Championship level, with the match-winning ability to make a significant difference to a side chasing automatic promotion.

Middlesbrough could land a Championship cheat code in Jack Clarke

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Middlesbrough's interest in Clarke from Ipswich Town makes plenty of sense because his record at Championship level suggests he can be devastating in the right environment.

The winger has repeatedly demonstrated his ability to beat defenders, carry the ball into dangerous areas, and produce goals and assists from wide positions. His ability to operate predominantly from the left while cutting inside would give Hellberg another dynamic attacking outlet, particularly alongside the likes of Will Lankshear, Riley McGree, and Morgan Whittaker.

Lankshear has already hit the ground running, while Middlesbrough have added plenty of attacking quality elsewhere, but Clarke would take the ceiling of the team up another level. His experience of succeeding in the Championship means there would be little adaptation required, either.

Clarke has scored 43 and assisted 24 in 180 Championship and play-off matches in his career, including in 59 goal involvements in the last 133 appearances in his last three seasons at the level. For a manager looking to build a promotion-winning attack, a player capable of consistently producing at this level is an incredibly attractive proposition.

Jack Clarke should worry West Ham and Wolverhampton Wanderers

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There are plenty of clubs who will be hoping Middlesbrough do not manage to complete this deal. West Ham and Wolves arrived in the Championship as two of the leading promotion favourites and, despite a start for the Hammers, both remain extremely dangerous because of the quality and resources at their disposal.

Burnley are another parachute-payment-backed contender who have started slowly, while Southampton will be determined to go one better after missing out last season. Then there is Millwall, who reached the play-offs last term, and West Brom, who have joined Millwall in making an excellent start to 2026/27.

Boro themselves are already building an impressive squad, though, with Lankshear, Vitek, Ashley Phillips, Sebastian Berhalter, Max Arfsten, and Kyle Joseph among their additions. Clarke would be different, however: he could be the signing that genuinely moves the needle.

For West Ham and Wolves in particular, watching a direct promotion rival add an established Championship match-winner would be a worrying development. They may even fancy a hijack of the transfer, such is the quality of someone like Clarke in the second tier.

Ipswich have every reason to keep Jack Clarke and reject Middlesbrough

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Ipswich have a difficult decision to make because Clarke's position has arguably become more complicated. The Tractor Boys have spent heavily in an attempt to build a squad capable of surviving in the Premier League, particularly in attacking areas, which could make it harder to guarantee Clarke regular football. Yet that does not mean they should be eager to lose him.

Clarke was one of Ipswich's best players during their promotion campaign, producing the sort of individual quality that helped them return to the top flight. He was arguably their best player in May, but in August there are numerous new faces that should be more important at Premier League level.

The perception of Jack Clarke

There has always been a slightly awkward perception surrounding him, though.

He looks too good for the Championship but has not quite demonstrated consistently enough that he can thrive in the Premier League.

His opening-day winner against former club Sunderland, however, was an excellent way to begin changing that narrative.

Ipswich will therefore be reluctant to sell, particularly if Clarke can establish himself as a genuine contributor for a Premier League outfit.

For Middlesbrough, that is precisely what makes this such an ambitious pursuit. With just a week left of the window, they will have to act swiftly to bring him in. It's a difficult transfer for Middlesbrough to complete with Ipswich.