Matthew Clarke

Clarke's current-season form is up 52% on last season (Season 31→47), while his Rating eased 53→51. His peak season for form remains 2021/22 (Season 48).

Domestic career

Season	Club	Apps	G	A	Match	RTG	Season
2025/26	Derby · 8th	45	3	4	6.96	51	47
2024/25	Derby · 19th	30	3	0	7.23	53	31
2024/25	Middlesbrough	14	2	0	7.23	—	—
2023/24	Middlesbrough · 8th	24	1	3	7.15	58	22
2022/23	Middlesbrough · 4th	6	0	0	6.78	55	6
2021/22	West BromLoan · 10th	33	1	0	6.89	67	48

Domestic-league totals per season. RTG = Field Insider Rating (potential / ceiling); Season = age-blind form that year. 7 earlier seasons and 2 youth-team spells in the full career.

Scout report

Solid contributorBall-winning Central defender

M. Clarke is a 29-year-old central defender at Derby, rated 51.1 overall by Field Insider's model, ranking 302nd of 493 on scout potential in the Championship. An experienced operator, he has been an ever-present this season (99.9% of available minutes). His defensive output reads 4.16 tackles, blocks and interceptions per 90. Below: strengths, watch-points, market-value outlook and the latest transfer news on Clarke.

Judged on this season alone, Clarke graded 47 — a standout campaign that ranks top 4% of the 82 centre-backs in the Championship, on 12 clean sheets and 4.161 defensive actions per 90.

Year-on-year, that's a clear step up on last season (Season 31 → 47). Over the 6 seasons on record his form has trended upward, peaking in 2021/22.

On long-term talent our Rating reads 51, 47th of 82 of the 82 centre-backs in the Championship. At 29 Clarke is in his prime years, and a market index of 20 reflects that trajectory.

From the career report

Read the full career report →

A career still climbing — Clarke is at his peak right now, and the curve hasn't flattened.

Peak: 2021/22Trending upBreakout: 2025/26

Current potential47th of 82 centre-backs · Championship Current seasonTop 4% centre-backs · Championship3rd-best centre-back in the Championship302nd in the Championship · potential47th-highest potential centre-back in the Championship

51.1

Ratingi

47th of 82 centre-backs

47.3

Seasoni

a solid contributor and squad regular

99.9%

Minutes

near ever-present

4.16

Def. actions / 90

solid defensive volume

Output in context · Derby finished 8th of 24 · an upper-table side

4.16

Def. / 90

Tackles

Interceptions

Clean sheets

4.16 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90 — solid defensive volume, with 12 clean sheets across 45 appearances. Behind an upper-table side (8th of 24) the side controls more games, so the defensive load is lighter — the value sits as much in composure and ball progression as in raw volume. Going forward he chipped in 3 goals and 4 assists — a useful bonus from the back.

Strengths

Availability. On the pitch for 99.9% of available minutes — a dependable presence in the XI.
Attacking threat. Chips in from deep: 0.16 goal involvements per 90, useful for a central defender.
Defensive volume. 4.16 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90 — does the unseen work.

Watch points

Few red flags. No obvious weaknesses in the current-season profile — consistency is the next test.

Outlook

With a Rating of 51.1, Clarke carries the 47th-highest potential of the centre-backs in the Championship of 82. Defensively he reads as solid defensive volume (4.16 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90). Experienced and reliable, but the value curve is easing (1.1× now → 0.8× projected in three years).

Generated from Field Insider's rating model · AI-written analysis to follow.

Per 90 & availability

Minutes played %99.9%

Available fixtures45 of 46

Goals / 900.067

Assists / 900.089

Goal contribution / 900.156

Defensive actions / 904.161

Player flow

Goal involvements7

Shot conversion %75

Shot accuracy %18.2

Pass accuracy %76

Dribble success %76.9

Cards / 900.2

Foul involvement / 901.58

Season-by-season progression

Rating (potential)Season (form)

Value & potential by age

Market valueRating

Solid = now · dashed = projected

The gold line is market value — an index (not €) blending rating, age and league. It climbs through the early 20s, peaks around ages 23–27 (~36), then tapers with age. At 29, Clarke sits on 20, past its peak and easing. The blue line is Clarke's projected Rating — 51.1 today — recomputed at each age, so it follows the same rise-and-fall as a career matures and declines. Solid = up to today; dashed = projected.

Season statistics

Bars = where he ranks among centre-backs in the Championship with 600+ minutes this season.

Shooting

Goals3

Shots on target4

Shots22

Passing

Assists4

Pass accuracy76%

Possession

Successful dribbles10

Dribble success76.9%

Fouls won29

Defending

Tackles77

Interceptions62

Blocks48

Fouls committed42

Yellow/red cards

Yellow cards9

Red cards0

Transfer history

€2.6M total transfer fees · 11 moves

Derby2024/25 – now

Middlesbrough2022/23 – 2024/25€ 2.6M

Brighton(back from loan)2022/23 – 2022/23

West Brom(on loan)2021/22 – 2022/23

Brighton(back from loan)2021/22 – 2021/22

Derby(on loan)2020/21 – 2021/22

Derby(on loan)2019/20 – 2020/21

Brighton2019/20 – 2019/20

Portsmouthuntil 2019/20

Ipswich(back from loan)2016/17 – 2019/20

Portsmouth2016/17 – 2016/17

Portsmouth(on loan)2015/16 – 2016/17

Ipswichuntil 2015/16

About M. Clarke

Matthew Edward Barkell Clarke is a 29-year-old centre-back who plays for Derby, born on September 22, 1996 in Ipswich, standing 185 cm tall. He is from England. Derby currently sit 8th of 24 in the Championship.

This season

In the current season, M. Clarke has made 45 appearances with 3 goals and 4 assists across 4,045 minutes, averaging a 7.21 match rating over his last 10 rated games, with 9 yellow cards. His season has spanned the Championship and the League Cup.

When M. Clarke plays, Derby's record this season is 20W-8D-18L — and his match ratings average 7.08 at home against 6.83 on the road.

Recent matches

May 2, 2026: 1-2 loss at home vs Sheffield Utd (90 minutes, 6.9 rating)
April 25, 2026: 3-2 win away at QPR (90 minutes, 1 assist, 7.9 rating)
April 21, 2026: 1-2 loss away at Norwich (90 minutes, 6.5 rating)
April 18, 2026: 1-0 win at home vs Oxford United (90 minutes, 7.9 rating)
April 11, 2026: 1-2 loss away at Southampton (90 minutes, 7 rating)
April 6, 2026: 2-0 win at home vs Stoke City (90 minutes, 7.3 rating)
April 3, 2026: 2-3 loss away at Coventry (90 minutes, 1 assist, 6.9 rating)
March 21, 2026: 1-0 win at home vs Birmingham (90 minutes, 7.2 rating)
March 16, 2026: 1-0 win away at Portsmouth (90 minutes, 7.5 rating)
March 10, 2026: 0-1 loss away at Millwall (90 minutes, 7 rating)

Field Insider's view

Field Insider currently rates M. Clarke at 51.1 with a Season form score of 47.3, ranking 302nd of 493 centre-backs in the Championship. See the full scout report for strengths, watch-points and the market-value outlook.

Availability: M. Clarke has missed 2 matches this season (1 through injury, 1 through suspension).

His honours include 6 career titles — among them the Premier League Cup and the EFL Trophy. Full list in the career record.

Career

Across 12 recorded seasons, M. Clarke has totalled 385 club appearances with 18 goals and 7 assists for 7 different clubs. His busiest campaign came in 2018/19, with 48 appearances for Portsmouth.

M. Clarke's career has also included time at Middlesbrough, Brighton, West Brom, Portsmouth and Ipswich.

Transfer news

No transfer news found for this player.

Profile

Season stats

Performance data · by competition

Career

Scout report

Output in context · Derby finished 8th of 24 · an upper-table side

Strengths

Watch points