Former Aston Villa defender set to sign for new club after Newcastle United contract decision

Former Newcastle United defender Ciaran Clark is reportedly close to finding a new club.

The former Republic of Ireland international has been without a team since June when he was released by the Magpies at the end of his contract.

He spent last season on loan at Sheffield United and despite their promotion back to the Premier League, the 33-year-old failed to win a permanent deal after injury restricted him to just 11 Championship appearances.

Clark has remained without a club throughout the summer but as per Alan Nixon, the centre-back is close to agreeing a deal with Stoke City. Despite the transfer window closing on Friday, Clark’s free agent status allows him to be snapped up.

Signed by Rafa Benitez in 2016 from Aston Vila, Clark was voted the club’s Player of the Year during his debut campaign after helping United return to the Premier League at the first attempt. He remained a regular in the starting XI when Benitez and Steve Bruce were in charge but quickly fell out of favour under Eddie Howe.

Clark was sent off after 10 minutes during a crucial bottom-of-the-table clash against Norwich City and in a friendly against Al Ittihad in Saudi Arabia, which was his last appearance in a Magpies shirt.

He was left out of Newcastle’s 25-man squad for the second half of the 2021-22 season before moving to Bramall Lane on loan last summer. Clark scored 11 goals in 129 appearances for Newcastle over a six-year spell spell.