Stoke City should hijack Sheffield United and Charlton in Ipswich Town transfer race | OneFootball

Harry Clarke is on the verge of a loan exit from Ipswich Town this January

Ipswich Town right-back Harry Clarke looks set to leave Portman Road this January, having yet to fail to make a senior appearance for the Tractor Boys this campaign.

It's been a difficult 18 months for Harry Clarke at Ipswich Town.

The Arsenal youth product rejoined his boyhood club in January 2023 on a permanent deal after loan spells with Oldham Athletic, Ross County, Hibernian, and Stoke City, and would play a key role in the Tractor Boys' rise from League One to the Premier League.

But since Ipswich's promotion to the top flight, Clarke has found his game time extremely limited, making just seven top-flight appearances as the Suffolk-based outfit were immediately relegated, and then just six games on loan with Sheffield United the following campaign.

Clarke has suffered with injuries for much of that time, with a knee ligament issue being the latest of his injury woes, though Ipswich head coach Kieran McKenna has recently confirmed that the full-back is likely to leave the club this January on loan in search of playing time.

When asked whether Clarke will leave the club this January, McKenna said, "Yeah, there's a chance. We'll see how it goes over the weekend but he's in talks with a club at the moment so there's a chance that he might go on loan second half of the season."

Indeed, his next destination is one that remains up for speculation, though Sheffield United and Charlton Athletic have previously been rumoured to have shown interest in the 24-year-old.

Harry Clarke is set for an Ipswich Town exit this January, and Stoke City should join the race to fix full-back woes

With Clarke in talks with an unnamed club, it could very well be Stoke, but if not, the Potters should be looking to reunite with the right-back this January.

Clarke spent the first half of the 2022-23 season on loan in the Potteries prior to his permanent switch to Ipswich, scoring twice in 18 appearances.

Stoke are currently in the midst of a full-back crisis, with Eric Bocat and Aaron Cresswell both out of action at left-back, Ben Gibson, who deputised in that role in their absence, has also picked up an injury, whilst right-back Junior Tchamadeu has sustained an injury whilst away with Cameroon at AFCON.

Tchamadeu was due to return to Stoke later this month after Cameroon's competition was over, and though the length of time he is out for has not yet been disclosed, it adds insult to injury for Robins, quite literally.

With another former Potters player, Ki-Jana Hoever, having completed a loan move to Sheffield United, it's unlikely Wilder will return for Clarke this month, though Charlton is a different story.

Both Kayne Ramsey and Reece Burke are out of action at the moment, meaning Nathan Jones' side too has a serious lack of options on the right side of defence, something which Clarke can atone for.

Stoke should look to jump the queue in a bid to bring the 24-year-old back to the club this winter, as they look to boost their promotion prospects with key reinforcements.

Indeed, Stoke have the best defensive record in the division as it stands, conceding just 23 goals in 26 games so far this campaign.

Following their 1-0 home win over Coventry City in the FA Cup, it means the Potters have kept three clean sheets on the spin, with Bosun Lawal deputising at left-back and Maksym Talovierov deputising at right-back, whilst Tommy Simkin has been recalled from his loan at Leyton Orient to replace the injured Viktor Johansson in goal.

Although the back four of centre-backs has proven to be solid for Stoke, it comes at the expense of an attacking threat, with Talovierov unable to replicate the same dynamism and explosiveness of Tchamadeu on the right, whilst Lawal does not have as good a cross as Cresswell.

Harry Amass has been linked with a loan move from Manchester United after his loan spell with Sheffield Wednesday expired, and Robins now must have his sights set on a recruit at right-back, especially if the injury to Tchamadeu is a lengthy one.

Stoke sit within touching distance of the play-off places, with this season presenting their best chance of a return to the Premier League since relegation in 2018.

A new full-back, or two, is absolutely imperative this window for Stoke if they are serious about mounting a serious push for the top six this campaign, though whether Clarke, who has undergone serious injury issues of his own, is a smart or viable option for the club remains to be seen.