Matt Clarke believes his best football is still to come in a Derby County shirt.
The 28-year-old centre-back committed his long-term future to the Rams earlier this summer by penning a contract until the summer of 2028.
Clarke previously enjoyed two loan spells at Pride Park Stadium from Brighton & Hove Albion in the 2019/20 and 2020/21 seasons, before arriving on short-term deal from Middlesbrough in January.
The defender was instrumental in Derby retaining their Sky Bet Championship status at the end of the 2024/25 season, with the side rising from the bottom of the table and seven points adrift of safety in early March to over the finish line at the beginning of May.
Clarke has been popular amongst supporters throughout his time wearing black and white and he was named as the Jack Stamps Player of the Year in his first campaign in Derbyshire.
After putting pen-to-paper back in May, Clarke is looking forward to the future in a positive frame of mind under the guidance of Head Coach John Eustace and his coaching staff.
He is due to turn 29 in September and despite racking up over 350 appearances in senior football, Clarke is convinced his best is very much still to come.
Speaking to RamsTV, Clarke said: “It was a no-brainer from my perspective.
“With the way we finished last season, I was always hopeful that we’d be able to get something sorted out.
“I feel like I’ve messed around enough by signing on loan and on a short-term deal before! I am delighted to be staying for the foreseeable future; it almost felt inevitable.
“I have genuinely always loved my time here. When I signed in January, it was all about playing football again to set me up for what was to come. As soon as I felt part of things and the project, it became a priority and it was appealing for me.”
On the part Eustace played, Clarke added: “Wherever you are committing to a club, the gaffer is always a big part. It was a key factor and I enjoyed working with him during the second half of last season, despite us being in a tricky position. It felt positive.”
“I have room to improve too; I believe my best football is to come. I don’t feel I have achieved everything I’ve wanted to or become the player I wanted to be just yet. I am striving for more all the time.”
Derby’s squad are back at Moor Farm Training Ground after a week-long training camp in Austria last week.
The time away proved to be beneficial both on and off the pitch and Eustace’s side defeat Austrian Bundesliga outfit FC Red Bull Salzburg 2-1 in a pre-season friendly on Friday prior to flying home.
Clarke is convinced the Rams’ hard work on the training ground is already paying off but knows there’s scope for plenty of improvement over the coming weeks and months.
Reflecting on the week away, he said: “It was good. It is always nice to get away and we’re lucky to get to go to some of these beautiful places with excellent accommodation.
“It was a really good week. It was pleasing to get the win against Red Bull Salzburg on Friday and also see the work we’ve been putting in start to come out in matches.
“We’re still fine-tuning things and wanting to get better, but it is nice to have little bits come out here and there.”
He added: “There’s nothing that builds confident more than winning. We’ve got a variety of different opposition in pre-season and winning certainly makes you feel like you’re on the right path.
“Pre-season has been tough, but we’re feeling good. It is difficult to compare to previous ones I’ve had as everyone has their own unique style, but the first two weeks included a lot of double sessions which I am sure we’ll reap the benefits of.”
Derby’s next pre-season outing will see them travel to the Pallet-Track Bescot Stadium on Tuesday evening to take on Sky Bet League Two side Walsall (7:30pm kick-off).
