Bristol City are rumoured to be plotting a move for Portsmouth's young defender Matt Clarke, according to the Daily Mirror (April 19th, page 59).

Suffolk-born Clarke enjoyed a great breakthrough season in 2016/17 as Pompey won the League Two title and he's carried those performances through into League One this time around.

Clarke is a left-sided centre back, a vital commodity in the modern game. He's a player that adds nice balance to the Pompey back four and has really kicked on since being released by Ipswich in 2016.

He's turned out 43 times for Portsmouth this season as they've edged towards a second successive promotion, scoring three times in the process.

His current Pompey deal doesn't expire until the summer of 2020, so Bristol City would have to pay a fee if their interest is solid.

The Robins may be looking at a summer of rebuilding as their key players come to terms with a failed play off campaign. Aden Flint, Bristol City's current left-sided defender, has been linked with a move away from Ashton Gate for a while now.

The Verdict

Clarke is a player on the up and he's taken the scenic route, dropping out of the Championship to take in the views from league Two and League One.

He's strong, mobile and young enough to develop into a really good player, so this move does make perfect sense.