EXCLUSIVE: Charlton beat three League One rivals to priority signing
Charlton Athletic have won the race to sign Sean Clare from Oxford United, TEAMtalk understands.
The 24-year-old joined Oxford in 2020 after a hugely successful spell in Scotland with Hearts. However, Karl Robinson tried to switch him to right-back away from his natural midfield berth.
After making 20 appearances for Oxford, Clare spent the second half of the 2020-21 season on loan at League One outfit Burton Albion. He will now make the switch to another club in the third tier.
Charlton boss Nigel Adkins made Clare one of his priority signings this summer. He has now won the race to land him.
We understand Portsmouth, Ipswich and Sunderland all made contact with Oxford about Clare, but Charlton managed to get the deal over the line.
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Oxford were open to Clare exit
U’s boss Robinson told BBC Radio Oxford in June of Clare’s future (as quoted by the Oxford Mail): “It’s down to Sean to come back as a number eight and to prove that is his position.
“If he doesn’t want to do it, that’s football – be straight with me. I’m not chasing people anymore; I’m sick of it.
“The game’s evolved for three or four years now where you’re begging, kicking and screaming for people to stay and we want them to play for us.
“That’s going to be our message to all the players this summer – if you don’t want to be here, be straight with me and we’ll sell you and you can go.
“If Sean wants to come to a team that’s consistently been in the top six for two years and keep us in there, come and get your place. If you don’t and you feel the challenge is beyond that, and you want to move on, we have to do some business that’s right for the football club.”
He added: “If Sean goes we have to replace with better.”
Oxford will soon have to address that, as Clare is now ready to play for Charlton.
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