Clarke-Salter first joined Chelsea in 2006 and spent the rest of his youth career there bar one season at Sutton United.[4][5] He made his under-18 breakthrough at Chelsea in December 2013 whilst still sixteen years old. He became a key figure and the under-18 captain in Chelsea's youth surge after winning the FA Youth Cup twice and the UEFA Youth League.[6] Clarke-Salter was included in Chelsea's pre-season tour of the US in 2015.[7] However, he failed to make a single appearance in Chelsea's disappointing campaign.
On 5 March 2016, Clarke-Salter appeared on Chelsea's substitutes' bench in a 1–1 draw with Stoke City.[8] On 2 April, he made his professional debut in Chelsea's 4–0 victory at Aston Villa, replacing Pedro in the 74th minute.[9] After the match John Terry praised his performance and attitude, and hoped that Clarke-Salter went on to replace him one day.[10]
2016–17 season: Loan to Bristol Rovers
On 31 August 2016, Clarke-Salter and teammate Charlie Colkett joined League One club Bristol Rovers on a season-long loan.[11] Unlike Colkett, Clarke-Salter did not join up with Rovers immediately, but remained at Chelsea while recovering from an injury sustained on international duty.[12]
Clarke-Salter made his debut on 28 September 2016, starting in a 1–0 defeat away to Sheffield United.[13] On his second appearance, on 18 October, he cut the ball back to provide the assist for the second goal of Matt Taylor's hat-trick as Rovers came back from 3–1 down to draw 3–3 with Milton Keynes Dons.[14] Four days later he scored his first goal for Rovers with an 87th-minute header to complete a 2–0 win over Oldham Athletic.[15] Clarke-Salter dislocated his elbow and broke a bone in his forearm during the 5–1 loss to Charlton Athletic in November and was out for nearly four months.[16] He made his return as an 89th-minute substitute against Southend United in March 2017,[17] but did not start a match until 11 April, in a 1–0 victory over AFC Wimbledon, and finished the season with just 13 appearances.[18][19]
2017–18 season: Return to Chelsea and loan to Sunderland
Following a loan spell at Notts county, Clarke-Salter returned to Chelsea and signed a new four-year deal in July 2017.[20] He was given the number 35 jersey and made his first appearance of the 2017–18 season during Chelsea's 5–1 EFL Cup victory over Nottingham Forest.[21]
On 8 January 2018, Clarke-Salter joined Championship club Sunderland on loan for the remainder of the campaign.[22] Just under a week later, he made his debut during Sunderland's 4–0 away defeat against Cardiff City, playing the full 90 minutes.[23] On 24 February 2018, Clarke-Salter was shown a red card for what BBC Sport's reporter saw as a "nasty late challenge" on Middlesbrough's Adama Traoré in a match that ended as a 3–3 draw.[24] In his first game back from suspension, Clarke-Salter was dismissed again after receiving a second yellow card in a 2–0 defeat against Preston North End.[25] He finished the loan spell with nine appearances.[26]
2018–19 season: Loan to Vitesse
On 2 July 2018, Clarke-Salter agreed to join Dutch side Vitesse on a season-long loan.[27]
2019–20 season: Loan to Birmingham City
Clarke-Salter signed for Championship club Birmingham City on 24 July 2019 on loan for the season.[28] He made his debut on 6 August in the EFL Cup first round visit to Portsmouth. Manager Pep Clotet fielded an inexperienced team, and Clarke-Salter played the whole of the 3–0 defeat.[29] He did not play in the Championship until 1 October, taking the place of the injured Marc Roberts in the starting eleven for the 1–0 defeat away to Wigan Athletic. According to the manager, "he played with a lot of maturity, he was very focused, he dealt very well with the physicality of the game and worked very well with Harlee [Dean] as well. He also covered the line very well. I think on the ball he was very good as well so it was a very positive game for him."[30] His performance was similarly positive in his next appearance a month later, when he replaced the suspended Dean for a 1–0 defeat at home to Fulham.[31] He scored his first goal for Birmingham in a 1–1 draw with Millwall on 30 November.[32]
2020–21 season: Loan return to Birmingham City
On 16 October 2020, Clarke-Salter returned to Birmingham City on loan for the remainder of the season.[33] A calf injury kept him out until after the international break, and he made his debut on 24 November away to Luton Town as one of three centre-backs alongside Dean and Roberts.[34][35] He was a regular in the matchday squad for the next three months, made nine starts, mainly as cover for injured or suspended players, and one substitute appearance.[19][36] Apart from one poor game away to Cardiff City,[37] he performed adequately, showing technical competence that his fellow defenders did not,[38] but the Birmingham Mail suggested that overall he had wasted his season by spending it on Birmingham's bench.[39]
2021-22 season: Loan to Coventry City
On 13 August 2021, Clarke-Salter joined Championship club Coventry City on a loan deal until the end of the season. Clarke-Salter was a mainstay in the Coventry team in a largely successful loan spell, making 29 appearances for the Sky Blues, with injury hampering him from making more. On 10 June 2022, Chelsea announced he was leaving the club.[40]
Queens Park Rangers
On 17 June 2022, Clarke-Salter joined Championship club Queens Park Rangers on a four-year deal.[41]
International career
Clarke-Salter was born in England, and is of Irish descent through a grandmother, and is eligible to represent both countries internationally.[42] He was selected for the England U20 in the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup. He played in four of the seven games, but in the final he conceded a controversial penalty that was saved by goalkeeper Freddie Woodman.[43] England beat Venezuela 1–0, the first time an England team had won a global tournament since the 1966 World Cup.[44]
