Derby County are one of the clubs being linked with a move for 29-year-old free agent Clark Robertson, as per the Portsmouth News.
The Rams missed out on the play-offs on the final day of the season, losing 1-0 in their crucial game against Sheffield Wednesday, but Paul Warne’s side are likely to be among the challengers this season. It’s reported that they’re one of the sides interested in former Portsmouth captain Clark Robertson, who has been allowed to leave Fratton Park on a free transfer.
Robertson has spent two years on the south coast, but his family are still reported to live north of the border, and a move closer to home is on the cards. He was one of the club’s top earners, and that will narrow down the list of potential suitors.
The former Aberdeen and Blackpool man made just 29 appearances in a stop/start season for Pompey, spending a substantial period between December and March on the sidelines. However, he returned to fitness for the season’s conclusion, and will certainly be an asset to any aspiring top-six League One side. His release from Fratton Park was not so much down to form than personal preference.
‘I think it made sense for both parties. Clark was ready to move on, and with his family up north, it was maybe a geographical one as well,” said John Mousinho, who will be hoping to have his side close to the top six this season. ‘We parted company, shook hands, and said good luck to each other. So that was one which really well, and I genuinely wish Clark good luck on whatever his next venture is.’
Of course, Robertson is well-known to Rams boss Paul Warne, a manager he played under at Rotherham, winning promotion in 2019/20 to the Championship. He played two seasons for Warne in the Championship, in 2018/19 and 2020/21, but suffered relegation both times.
Writer’s View
Managers love going back over old players and staff, and Warne knows that at this level, Clark Robertson is a huge asset. The move to Derby would make perfect sense – he knows the manager, he knows some of the staff, like Russ Burbeary who was head of performance at Rotherham during his time there, and familiarity does bring out the best in some players.
There shouldn’t be a problem around wages either – a team in the right geographical, such as Port Vale or Burton, might struggle to accommodate the wages of a talent such as Robertson, but it shouldn’t be a concern for an aspiring Championship side, such as Derby County.
