Ex Hibs star makes January transfer move as he's hailed 'excellent' addition in key area for Championship club
The former Hibs defender has also featured at the likes of Sheffield United and Stoke City.
A former Hibs and Sheffield United defender has completed a January transfer move to an English Championship club.
The transfer window is open for the winter and clubs are getting down to business on incomings and outgoings. Hibs stars of the past are amongst those making moves and Harry Clarke is one of them, leaving Championship side Ipswich Town for another second tier team, Charlton Athletic.
Clarke was linked with a return to Sheffield United, having spent the second half of last season with the Blades, and not making a single Ipswich squad this season where he is out of contract in the summer. His parent club do have an option to extend that deal but it’s Charlton who will benefit from the ex-Hibee, who impressed at Easter Road during a loan in 2022 from Arsenal.
Harry Clarke to Charlton Athletic confirmation
Charlton’s Managing Director James Rodwell said: “Strengthening our defence is a key priority this window, so we’re delighted to sign Harry. He’s an excellent defender with strong Championship experience and the versatility to play across the backline. He’ll be a valuable addition to the squad, and I’m looking forward to seeing him in a Charlton shirt.”
Manager Nathan Jones commented: “We’re delighted to bring a player of Harry’s calibre to the football club. He’s an athletic, versatile defender with good experience for his age, and he’s already had real success at this level having starred in Ipswich’s promotion to the Premier League.”
On his switch to the Addicks, who have loaned fellow defender Zach Mitchell to Hibs for the season, Clarke said: "The main thing for me was the manager. I spoke to him and I got that feeling of being really wanted at a place straight away. Not many teams have come to Portman Road this season and won convincingly which Charlton did, so they're the appealing factors."
Who is Harry Clarke?
Asked if a winner of promotion with the Tractor Boys may leave in the January window, Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna responded at the weekend: "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."
A club statement from Charlton on Clarke reads: “Charlton Athletic are delighted to announce the loan signing of Harry Clarke from fellow Sky Bet Championship outfit Ipswich Town. The 24-year-old defender, who starred in the Tractor Boys’ back-to-back promotions to the Premier League, joins for the remainder of the season to become the Addicks’ first signing of the January transfer window.
“He gained senior experience during a series of loan spells at Oldham Athletic, Ross County, Hibernian and Stoke City. Following an impressive start to the 2022/23 campaign with the Potters, Clarke rejoined Ipswich for an undisclosed fee and immediately played a valuable role in the Tractor Boys’ promotion to the Sky Bet Championship.”