West Bromwich Albion are interested in a deal to bring Matt Clarke to The Hawthorns this summer.

What's the talk?

That's according to a report by The Sun, who claim that Valerien Ismael is keeping a very close eye on the situation of the Brighton & Hove Albion centre-back ahead of a potential move in the summer transfer window.

The report goes on to state that the Seagulls may be open to parting with the defender ahead of next season, with Graham Potter thought to be demanding a fee in the region of £5m for the 24-year-old.

Ismael would love him

After impressing during a loan spell at Derby County last season, it is easy to see why Ismael is considering a move for the Brighton centre-back this summer, as he very much appears to be the type of player the Frenchman would love.

Indeed, over his 42 Championship appearances for Wayne Rooney's side last term, Clarke helped his team keep 12 clean sheets, as well as making an average of 1.4 interceptions, 1.4 tackles, 4.3 clearances and won a whopping 8.1 duels per game.

These returns saw the man Potter dubbed a "quality" player earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 7.05, ranking him as the Rams third-best performer in the second tier of English football, a rather remarkable feat considering Derby were struggling at the wrong end of the table.

And, with it being reported that Ismael is looking to add a strong defender to his centre-back options at Albion ahead of next season, Clarke would very much appear to be a fantastic candidate for the role.

As such, it would appear highly advisable for the 45-year-old to do all he can to land the £2.7m-rated man this summer, however, with Sheffield United also in the mix for the 24-year-old, Ismael will certainly have his work cut out in getting a deal over the line for the defender.

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