Clarke set to snub Canaries
BILLY Clarke is set to snub Norwich City.
Derek Davis
BILLY Clarke is set to snub Norwich City.
The Irish striker, who was one of seven players released by Ipswich Town, is not ready to jump to their bitter rivals despite strong interest from the Carrow Road club.
Instead the 21-year-old goal-getter is likely to join the Canaries' League One rivals Brentford after impressing Bees boss Andy Scott.
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Clarke is currently in Las Vegas with the League two champions, their reward by the manager for clinching the title, and is likely to be with them after his own summer holiday with his family in Cork, when they return for pre-season training in mid June.
City boss Bryan Gunn, who has been told he can carry on as Canaries boss for next year although he and the City board are still discussing terms and conditions, is understood to have already monitored Clarke, who hit 18 goals while on loan with Brentford, Northampton and Darlington last season, and put him on a list of potential new signings.
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But sources close to Clarke insist the player enjoyed his time at Griffin Park towards the end of last season, when he netted important goals in the title-winning run in and is keen to be part of the squad being built for next year's assault, even though he has a number of other options.
Scott has cleared his decks by releasing nine players and has made it clear that Clarke is one of 10 players he has targeted for their League One campaign next season.
Scott said: “I want to build a squad that I can keep together and which will grow together for a few years.”
Blues striker Jordan Rhodes has also said he would be keen to return to Brentford but only if he is not playing at Ipswich.
Meanwhile, Town keeper Shane Supple looks set to accept a two-year deal being offered by Blues boss Roy Keane.
Supple is currently recovering from a knee injury sustained while on loan at Oldham.
Although he accepts he will be number two to Richard Wright the Dubliner wants to stay at Portman Road and put pressure on Town's player of the year.
Meanwhile, Norwich City have agree to sell Scotland keeper David Marshall to Cardiff City for an undisclosed fee.
