Following an absurdly impressive National League season, Altrincham could be set to lose Chris Conn-Clarke due to growing interest from Wigan Athletic among other clubs.
It has been reported, through Alan Nixon’s Patreon site, that a move for Conn-Clarke is being lined up by the following: Ipswich Town, Peterborough United, Portsmouth, and Mansfield Town. To add to the growing enthusiasm for the 22-year-old, Wigan have now shown a desire to secure his services this summer.
The League One outfit could face difficulties opposing the likes of Ipswich, following their recent promotion to the Premier League. The Tractor Boys will surely provide greater promises to the Altrincham player if an offer is made. However, Wigan themselves are the closest to Conn-Clarke geographically, meaning that side of the pursuit leans in their favour.
The former Burnley youth graduate has finally been given a consistent platform to promote his talents in the National League, and is rightfully catching the eye of many teams. Since arriving at the Greater Manchester club in June 2023, Conn-Clarke has scored 22 goals in 50 appearances, averaging nearly a goal every other game.
Following some unsuccessful stints at Chorley, Fleetwood Town, and Waterford, before settling down for the Robins, it is great to see the 22-year-old flourish into a permanent starter for his latest side.
The Lancashire outfit could add some proper quality to an already stacked attacking force, ahead of a crucial League One season under Shaun Maloney. The Latics had a somewhat strong end to the season, with only two losses in their last 10 league games. Huge 2-1 victories over Lincoln City and Portsmouth have offered some real hope for what is to come next season. The addition of Conn-Clarke’s attacking profile could further reinforce that belief.
With increasing budgets following Pompey and Ipswich’s promotions to the top flight and the Championship respectively, the Lancashire side could face serious competition from other suitors. The money that the Tractor Boys will receive for their remarkable effort will undoubtedly trump any bid that the Latics offer up to the 22-year-old.
Writer’s View
It is really up in the air with who would be the correct club for Conn-Clarke. While Wigan makes sense from an immediate first-team football standpoint, the drive to break through and emerge as a star at Ipswich or Portsmouth seems too good to turn down. Obviously, both sides would look for loan deals to harness the Northern Irishman’s development.
However, settling at Wigan, and making the jump up from National League football to League One, seems like a very smart decision. The gap between the two leagues is undoubtedly huge, but this is justifiable for a player of Conn-Clarke’s abilities. He didn’t exactly land a professional contract with Burnley through luck.
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