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Opinion: If Tottenham want Jack Clarke to develop, he will need more than just cup starts

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The signing of Jack Clarke was made with one clear intention in mind for Tottenham, building and stockpiling for the future.

The 18-year-old winger was signed from Leeds United this summer for a reported fee of £10m according to BBC Sport and then immediately loaned back out to the Championship side for the 2019/20 season, but despite impressing in the last campaign, it has been an underwhelming start to life back in the second-tier for Clarke.

The teenager only just made his first start of the campaign for the club in the League Cup, playing 70 minutes against Salford City as Leeds cruised to a 3-0 win against the newly promoted League Two side, and whilst the winger impressed on the day, Spurs should be concerned that it has only taken until now for Clarke to get first-team minutes this season.

Indeed, Clarke was on the bench for Leeds’ first two games of the Championship season, however, Marcelo Bielsa did not bring the winger on in either match for Leeds, and this could be a worrying sign for Tottenham who ideally want to see their promising player play as much football as possible under one of the most influential managers in the game.

Having made 25 appearances in total last season for Leeds as numbers from Transfermarkt show, Clarke has proven in the past that he is a player that Bielsa has called upon to turn the tide of a game around, with the winger often coming on early in the second half from the substitute bench.

Clarke’s promising performance against Salford could be a changing point, though, as the winger showed that he is eager to continue his development under Bielsa and put in 100% when given the opportunity to start, something Tottenham fans will want to see as the Championship season progresses.

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