Manager Phillip Cocu believes new signing Matt Clarke can have an impact in both boxes this season for Derby County.
The central defender has signed on a season-long loan from Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion, after joining the Seagulls earlier this summer from Sky Bet League One side Portsmouth.
Clarke, 22, was voted the Portsmouth Supporters’ Player of the Year for the last two seasons in a row and he will now make the step up to the Championship with the Rams.
And Cocu, who was keen to add further defensive options to his squad, hopes that he can make an impact both in a defensive manner and in attack.
“He is a left-sided centre-back,” he told RamsTV. “Everyone knows the left centre-back from last season (Fikayo Tomori) left the club, he was also on loan.
“He (Tomori) played a very good season and I tried to get in a left-footed one. We like to play from behind and build up so that gives us more options to play from behind.
“He is capable of a good passing game, short or long, he has a good presence and is physical in the air which is what you need in a centre-back.
“He can help the team. I am glad he has joined us.”
Clarke’s addition adds to the central defensive options which Cocu has at his disposal.
He now has Richard Keogh, Curtis Davies and George Evans, as well as Clarke, to select in central defence and the manager admitted that competition for places is essential.
“First of all we play a lot of games but in a team you need competition because you can’t have players getting comfortable because they realise they don’t really have a lot of competition,” he said.
“We need everybody at the top of their game, so you need the numbers in the team and good quality.
“We try always to find the best we think in the position that is possible for the club. It took a little bit of time but he is here and we are happy about it.”
