# Matthew Clarke (footballer, born 1996)

Matthew Edward Barkell Clarke (born 22 September 1996) is an English professional footballer who plays as a central defender for EFL Championship club Derby County.
Clarke started his career at Ipswich Town, before joining Portsmouth initially on loan in 2015, making the move permanent in 2016. In 2019, Clarke joined Premier League Brighton & Hove Albion, but failed to make an apperenace, he two loan spells at Derby County in the 2019–20 and 2020–21 seasons and one at West Bromwich Albion in 2021–22. Clarke joined Middlesbrough on a permanent deal in August 2022, before rejoining Derby County in January 2025.

## Club career
### Ipswich Town

Born in Barham, Suffolk, Clarke joined Ipswich Town academy as an U7 and signed a scholarship with the club in the summer of 2013. He was included in the main squad for the pre-season in the following year.
Clarke made his professional debut for the club on 12 August 2014, starting as a left back in a 1–0 Football League Cup away loss against Crawley Town. On 11 September he signed a two-year professional deal with the club.

### Portsmouth

In July 2015, Clarke went on a trial at Portsmouth, signing a six-month loan deal with the club on 3 August.
On 2 September 2015, Clarke signed a new two-year contract at Ipswich Town, contracting him to the club until June 2017. His loan deal at Portsmouth was subsequently extended until the end of the season in January 2016.
Clarke signed a permanent three-year deal with Pompey on 1 July 2016, after a swap with Ipswich for Adam Webster was agreed. Despite suffering an injury at the end of the 2015–16 campaign which ruled him out of the opening weeks of the new campaign, he established himself as one of Portsmouth's most reliable performers as they won the 2016–17 League Two title. His partnership with Christian Burgess ensured that Portsmouth conceded the fewest league goals over the course of the season, letting in just 40 goals in 46 matches.
On 14 February 2018, after remaining a regular starter, Clarke extended his contract until 2020.
Clarke was in the winning squad for Portsmouth in the EFL Trophy Final on 31 March 2019.

### Brighton & Hove Albion

On 21 June 2019, Clarke's departure from Portsmouth was announced, with the centre-back signing a four-year deal at Brighton & Hove Albion for an undisclosed fee.

#### Derby County (loans)

On 2 August 2019, Clarke joined Derby County on a season-long loan. Three days later, Clarke made his debut for Derby in their opening game of the season in a 2–1 away win against Huddersfield Town. He scored his first goal for the club in a 1–0 win against Hull City on 18 January 2020. He made 37 appearances for Derby during the 2019–20 season, with his performances earning him the Derby County Player of the Year award.
On 26 August, it was revealed that Clarke would return to Derby on a further season-long loan deal for the 2020–21 season. He made 42 appearances in his second season including in the last game as the team's safety was taken to the wire, ensuring their Championship status after a 3–3 home draw to Sheffield Wednesday on the final day of the season. Rotherham United's draw with Cardiff City meant Derby were safe with Rotherham and Sheffield Wednesday relegated.

#### West Bromwich Albion (loan)

On 13 July 2021, Clarke signed for West Bromwich Albion on loan for the 2021–22 season. He made his debut on 14 August, starting and playing 84 minutes of the 3–2 home victory over Luton Town. He helped keep a clean sheet four days later, playing the whole match of the 4–0 victory against Sheffield United at The Hawthorns. He was named as the club's Player of the Season for 2021–22, his fourth successive such award across three clubs. On 7 May, on Clarke's final appearance on loan at West Brom he scored his first and only goal for the club with a composed finish slipping the ball under Barnsley goalkeeper Jack Walton, in the 4–0 home victory as his team ended the campaign in 10th place.

### Middlesbrough

On 25 August 2022, Clarke joined Championship club Middlesbrough for an undisclosed fee. In two-and-a-half years at the club, Clarke made 51 apperances, scoring three times.

### Derby County

On 28 January 2025, Clarke rejoined Derby County on a deal until June 2025 after an undisclosed fee was agreed with Middlesbrough. Clarke scored his first Derby goal since resigning for the club in a 2-1 home victory against Coventry City.

## Career statistics

    As of match played 15 March 2025
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | FA Cup | FA Cup | League Cup | League Cup | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Ipswich Town | 2014–15 | Championship | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Portsmouth (loan) | 2015–16 | League Two | 29 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 1 |
| Portsmouth | 2016–17 | League Two | 33 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 36 | 1 |
| Portsmouth | 2017–18 | League One | 42 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 46 | 3 |
| Portsmouth | 2018–19 | League One | 46 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 60 | 4 |
| Portsmouth | Total | Total | 150 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 13 | 2 | 175 | 9 |
| Brighton & Hove Albion | 2019–20 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| Brighton & Hove Albion | 2020–21 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| Brighton & Hove Albion | 2021–22 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| Brighton & Hove Albion | 2022–23 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| Brighton & Hove Albion | Total | Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Derby County (loan) | 2019–20 | Championship | 35 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 37 | 1 |
| Derby County (loan) | 2020–21 | Championship | 42 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 44 | 0 |
| Derby County (loan) | Total | Total | 77 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 81 | 1 |
| West Bromwich Albion (loan) | 2021–22 | Championship | 33 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 33 | 1 |
| Middlesbrough | 2022–23 | Championship | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Middlesbrough | 2023–24 | Championship | 24 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 28 | 1 |
| Middlesbrough | 2024–25 | Championship | 14 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 17 | 2 |
| Middlesbrough | Total | Total | 44 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 51 | 3 |
| Derby County | 2024–25 | Championship | 8 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 8 | 1 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 316 | 13 | 12 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 15 | 2 | 355 | 15 |
* 1 2 Appearances in EFL Trophy
* ↑ Six appearances and one goal in EFL Trophy, two appearances in EFL League One Play-offs

## Honours

Portsmouth
* EFL League Two: 2016–17
* EFL Trophy: 2018–19
Individual
* Portsmouth Player's Player of the Season: 2017–18
* Portsmouth Player of the Season: 2017–18, 2018–19
* 2018–19 EFL Trophy Final Man of The Match: 2019
* PFA Team of the Year: 2018–19 League One
* Derby County Player of the Year: 2019–20
* West Bromwich Albion Player of the Year: 2021–22