Revealed: Celtic's odds of landing Jack Clarke and why the Hoops might want the Spurs winger

Jack Clarke is a reported target for Celtic and many other clubs

The York-born 19-year-old began his career with Leeds United, and played 22 times for the Whites during the 2018/19 season, scoring two and laying on two more. Playing on the left or right flank for Marcelo Bielsa's outfit, his displays earned him a £10 million move to Spurs in July 2019. He rejoined the Elland Road side on loan for the 2019/20 season.

However, he was recalled by Jose Mourinho after making just three appearances in all competitions during his second stint in Yorkshire, and looks set to head out on loan for the second part of the campaign.

Speaking as his return to London was confirmed, Bielsa said: “I am very grateful to Clarke.

"He made his contribution in this part of the season. Even though I didn’t use him, in the last days, he had improved his performance.

“I always try to ensure the players arrive fit to a match, the best version of themselves. Sometimes this process is not fast, it is slow and we don’t achieve to do it faster."

Queens Park Rangers are favourites to take Clarke on loan following comments from Mourinho indicating that he wanted the player to remain in London. But interestingly enough, bookies have priced Celtic and Derby County as joint-second favourites to take Clarke on loan, with both teams at 3/1 to sign the teenager on a temporary basis.

Do Celtic need Clarke?

Celtic have offloaded two wingers already this window with Lewis Morgan joining fledgling MLS side Inter Miami and Scott Sinclair signing a permanent deal with Preston North End in the English Championship.

The departures leave Neil Lennon with James Forrest, Mikey Johnston, Marian Shved and on-loan Southampton wideman Mohamed Elyounoussi as his options on the flank, while Ryan Christie can fill in there if required. Jonny Hayes, ostensibly a winger, has been utilised as a left-back in recent months and is likely to remain in a more defensive role.

Daniel Arzani, the on-loan Manchester City youngster, could also be an option once he is fully back up to speed. The Australian international impressed during the winter training camp in Dubai but may need a handful of reserve games to help get him back up to speed.

Shved has been tipped by Lennon to "explode" onto the Scottish football scene in the second half of the season while Elyounoussi provided goals and assists from the left flank until he sustained an injury towards the end of last year.

Celtic may feel that, with the Scottish Cup campaign and Europa League knockout stages on top of an increased battle with rivals Rangers for the Scottish Premiership title, they need more options out wide.

In much the same way that striker Odsonne Edouard has carried the can in attack, Forrest has rarely had a break on the right flank so the thinking may be to help ease some of the pressure on the 28-year-old, who has already hit 14 goals and 16 assists in all competitions this term.

Who else is in the running?

Middlesbrough (10/1), Millwall (12/1) and Stoke City (16/1) have also been mooted as potential loan destinations for Clarke, while Nottingham Forest are priced at 20/1. Another pair of Londomn clubs follow with Crystal Palace at 25/1 and Brentford and Swansea at 33/1.

More unlikely, however, is a move to Blackburn or West Brom, who are both priced at 40/1 to land the winger.