Tottenham Hotspur thought they had made a superb youth signing for their future when they brought then-Leeds United winger Jack Clarke to north London back in 2019, not knowing that he wouldn’t developed as hoped – and that reportedly came at the expense of signing current West Ham United star Jarrod Bowen from Hull City, which could have seen their trajectory change massively.
Tottenham signed Clarke after he broke into Leeds’ first team back in the 2018-19 season, but the winger only made four appearances for Tottenham before a plethora of loans back at Leeds, Stoke, Queens Park Rangers and Sunderland – where he made his breakthrough as a player. However, things could have been much different for both club and player had he not been signed – with Pleat reportedly preferring Tottenham to sign Bowen, according to Alisdair Gold.
Gold: Pleat Wanted Bowen Over Clarke
The West Ham captain could have been playing in a white shirt
Speaking on the Gold and Guesty podcast, the Football London journalist stated that whilst Pleat had a huge involvement in the signing of players from down the lower leagues, one glaring miss they saw was choosing Clarke over Bowen – against Pleat’s recommendation. He said:
“David Pleat, he’s recommended some good players over the years. I think Dele was a big one of David Pleat’s, and I certainly know of a few situations over the years where Spurs went in a different direction to the player that David Pleat told them to go for, and the player that he told them was the better option.
“I’m not going to name loads because otherwise it looks really rubbish, but one of them, I’m pretty sure, when they signed Jack Clarke, that David Pleat was suggesting Jarrod Bowen.
“Obviously, Jarrod Bowen has gone on to be a very effective Premier League player. Jack Clarke still could, now at Ipswich Town, but when you looked back it kind of seemed like one was the more obvious deal.”
Bowen Fail a Blessing in Disguise for Hammers Star
Bowen has won a trophy at West Ham – and Tottenham haven’t
Whilst Clarke has had a slightly delayed start to his career when it looked like he would properly take off at Tottenham following his move from Leeds, the winger has been one of the Championship’s best players over the past two seasons and his move to Premier League new boys Ipswich Town has been fully deserved.
The York-born star notched nine goals and 12 assists for Sunderland in the 2022/23 campaign as the Black Cats made the Championship play-offs, whilst his more ruthless role for the club last season saw him score 15 in the second-tier – and despite only making one substitute appearance for Ipswich in the Premier League following his move late in August, there is potential there.
Bowen, of course, is four years older, but he would have had potential in his early twenties when it came to Tottenham preferring Clarke – and with 44 Premier League goals in just 162 games for the Hammers since, he’s proven to be an inspired signing of the club that dragged them into top half regulars and Europa Conference League winners.
