Defender Clarke signs three-year Derby deal
Defender Matt Clarke has signed a three-year deal to remain with Derby County after he helped the club avoid relegation from the Championship.The 28-year-old left second-tier rivals Middlesbrough to rejoin the Rams for a third spell in January.He returned to Pride Park on a short-term contract, running until the end of the season.Clarke started in 15 of Derby's final 17 matches of the season and played an instrumental role in the East Midlands club's late-season resurgence that saw them avoid the drop of the final day.Derby won six and drew three of their last 11 matches of the season to finish 19th in the table and just one point ahead of relegated Luton Town.In April, Clarke told BBC East Midlands Today that the relegation-battle he had been brought in for was something that needed to be "embraced", having previously helped the club stay up when managed by Wayne Rooney in 2021.
'Clarke has consistently delivered' - analysis
Dominic Dietrich, BBC Radio Derby's senior sports journalist:Matt Clarke is a strong start to summer business for John Eustace as he looks to mould his Derby County side. Clarke is in his third spell at Derby and one thing that's been consistent throughout is his ability to deliver at Championship level. His role under Eustace has predominantly been on the left side of a back three so it will be interesting to see how this changes and his role evolves, if Eustace reverts back to his tried and trusted back four. With Derby over the next three years I'm sure he'll want to be in that mix again.
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