Leicester’s hopes of snatching £18m winger from Premier League relegation rival Ipswich faces major hurdles
LEICESTER will monitor Jack Clarke’s struggles at Ipswich.
But they face a fight to do a deal for him this season.
The winger, 23, went to the Tractor Boys for £18million from Sunderland in August.
However, he has failed to impress so far at Portman Road.
The Foxes are keen on a transfer but Clarke played for the Black Cats at the start of their Championship term.
That means he is ruled out of playing for a third club this season, unless it is a loan.
And Ipswich are unlikely to help a fellow Premier League relegation-battling side by lending out a player.
Steve Cooper has Stephy Mavididi and Abdul Fatawu as his key, pacey and tricky wingers.
Bobby De Cordova-Reid, Jordan Ayew, Kasey McAteer and Facundo Buenanotte can all operate out wide, too.
But the addition of Clarke could add extra depth to the Leicester attack.
FOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS
Clarke came through at Leeds before signing for Tottenham in 2019.
However, he did not make a single Premier League appearance for Spurs and signed for Sunderland in 2022 following a successful loan spell in 2021-22.
Clarke racked up 27 goals in 94 games for the Black Cats – including on the opening day of this season at Cardiff – before his big-money move to Premier League new-boys Ipswich.
However, his start to life in Suffolk has not gone according to plan.
Five of his eight top-flight appearances have come off the bench and he has registered just one assist and zero goals.
In fact, he has not even managed a single shot on target in 335 minutes of football.
His latest blank came in yesterday’s 1-1 draw with Leicester.
Leif Davis’ expert volley put Ipswich in front ten minutes after half-time.
But Kalvin Phillips was sent off on 77 minutes for a second yellow card and Jordan Ayew pounced deep into injury time to rescue a point for the Foxes.
That left Kieran McKenna’s side in the relegation zone and still looking for their first win – while Leicester are 15th, five points from safety.
TV fixtures in December
Here are all the games that will be televised in December...
Tuesday 3 December
- 19:30 Ipswich v Crystal Palace (Amazon Prime Video)
- 20:15 Leicester v West Ham (Amazon Prime Video)
Wednesday 4 December
- 19:30 Everton v Wolves (Amazon Prime Video)
- 19:30 Man City v Nott’m Forest (Amazon Prime Video)
- 19:30 Newcastle v Liverpool (Amazon Prime Video)
- 19:30 Southampton v Chelsea (Amazon Prime Video)
- 20:15 Arsenal v Man Utd (Amazon Prime Video)
- 20:15 Aston Villa v Brentford (Amazon Prime Video)
Thursday 5 December
- 19:30 Fulham v Brighton (Amazon Prime Video)
- 20:15 AFC Bournemouth v Spurs (Amazon Prime Video)
Saturday 7 December
- 12:30 Everton v Liverpool (TNT Sports)
- 17:30 Man Utd v Nott’m Forest (Sky Sports)
Sunday 8 December
- 14:00 Fulham v Arsenal (Sky Sports)
- 16:30 Spurs v Chelsea (Sky Sports)
Monday 9 December
- 20:00 West Ham v Wolves (Sky Sports)
Saturday 14 December
- 17:30 Nott’m Forest v Aston Villa (Sky Sports)
Sunday 15 December
- 14:00 AFC Bournemouth v West Ham (Sky Sports)
- 16:30 Man City v Man Utd (Sky Sports)
- 19:00 Southampton v Spurs (TNT Sports)
Monday 16 December
- 20:00 Brighton v Crystal Palace (Sky Sports)
Saturday 21 December
- 12:30 Aston Villa v Man City (TNT Sports)
- 17:30 Crystal Palace v Arsenal (Sky Sports)
Sunday 22 December
- 14:00 Fulham v Southampton (Sky Sports)
- 16:30 Spurs v Liverpool (Sky Sports)
Thursday 26 December
- 12:30 Man City v Everton (Amazon Prime Video)
- 15:00 AFC Bournemouth v Crystal Palace (Amazon Prime Video)
- 15:00 Chelsea v Fulham (Amazon Prime Video)
- 15:00 Newcastle v Aston Villa (Amazon Prime Video)
- 15:00 Nott’m Forest v Spurs (Amazon Prime Video)
- 15:00 Southampton v West Ham (Amazon Prime Video)
- 17:30 Wolves v Man Utd (Amazon Prime Video)
- 20:00 Liverpool v Leicester (Amazon Prime Video)
Friday 27 December
- 19:30 Brighton v Brentford (Amazon Prime Video)
- 20:15 Arsenal v Ipswich (Amazon Prime Video)
Sunday 29 December
- 14:30 Leicester v Man City (Sky Sports)
- 17:15 West Ham v Liverpool (Sky Sports)
Monday 30 December
- 20:00 Man Utd v Newcastle (Sky Sports)