How Jack Clarke has reacted to Dan Neil's emotional Sunderland message after Ipswich Town move | OneFootball

Jack Clarke has responded to Dan Neil's farewell message to Sunderland via Instagram

Ipswich Town winger Jack Clarke has responded to Dan Neil's farewell post to Sunderland on Instagram, with the former Black Cats teammates linking back up at Portman Road following Neil's signing.

Ipswich Town have stepped up their bid for promotion with the additions of Anis Mehmeti from Bristol City and Dan Neil on loan from Sunderland.

Neil, who has spent his entire career with Sunderland, has fallen out of favour at The Stadium of Light this season upon the Black Cats' promotion to the Premier League, with head coach Regis Le Bris preferring the likes of Noah Sadiki, Granit Xhaka, Habib Diarra, and Enzo Le Fee in the centre of the park.

This is despite the fact that Neil has been an almost ever-present figure in the side since his breakthrough season back in the 2021/22 campaign, playing a pivotal role in the club's rise from League One to the Premier League.

Now, with six months remaining on his current Sunderland deal, Neil has decided to leave his boyhood club in search of more game time, linking up with Ipswich, where he will play alongside a familiar face.

Jack Clarke responds to Dan Neil's farewell post to Sunderland on Instagram

Upon his arrival at Portman Road, Neil will be linking back up with a familiar face during his time with Sunderland, namely Jack Clarke.

Clarke spent three-and-a-half years at Sunderland prior to his move to Ipswich Town in the summer of 2024, playing alongside Neil for much of that time, with the pair now reunited in Suffolk.

In Neil's farewell message to Sunderland on Instagram, Clarke took the opportunity to show his support for his teammate.

Clarke showed support in Neil's emotional farewell message, responding with '❤️❤️❤️' in the comment section, with Clarke having already made the move from Sunderland to Ipswich just 18 months ago.

The pair will now link up under Kieran McKenna at Ipswich, with an automatic promotion place well within their sights.

McKenna will be hoping the pair can rekindle their relationship from their time at Sunderland on the pitch and provide the necessary boost required to fire the Tractor Boys back to the Premier League.

Jack Clarke and Dan Neil will reunite at Ipswich Town in a bid to guide the Tractor Boys back to the Premier League

With each of Massimo Luongo, Sam Morsy, and Kalvin Phillips having left Ipswich at the end of last season following their relegation, McKenna was in desperate need of revamping his side's midfield.

In came both Azor Matusiwa and Jens Cajuste to add to the likes of Jack Taylor and Cameron Humphreys, though with the latter having been loaned out to Huddersfield Town this month, a vacancy in the centre of the park had opened, which Neil has now filled.

Neil, just like Clarke, knows exactly what it takes to earn promotion, and McKenna will be hoping that he can bring his experience and quality to his side.

With league leaders Coventry City showing signs of slipping up, and Middlesbrough not too far ahead of them, Ipswich will rightly fancy their chances of claiming one of the two automatic places come May.

With his contract due to expire at the end of the season, Neil has the chance to stake his claim in the Championship once more with Ipswich, where he will be provided a platform to showcase his talents ahead of a permanent move in the summer, whether that be to the Tractor Boys or elsewhere.