Clarke told the sentinel: "It's disappointing not to be offered a new deal. I've been loyal and given a lot of years. For them not to speak to me is disappointing, especially when they said they would speak to me at the end of the season just gone.
"I'm aware of interest from other clubs, and if they give me the chance to advance my career, I'd like to talk to them to see if it would be the best thing for me.
"I want to push on and get into the Irish squad. I think if I got a move to a club with a higher profile and I can have a good season, maybe it would help my international career.
"More importantly, I need a new challenge to bring out the best in me."
"I'm disappointed with the chairman's management of the club. The way they sacked the manager and the time given to the new manager to get new players has made it very hard.
"I think this season is going to be very tough in the Championship. To give the manager so little time to get new players - if he doesn't manage to get them in, it is going to be very tough for us.
"He knows his football and he will do his best to bring in the best players, but the amount of time he's got makes it hard.
"We need top centre-forwards, but the chairman hasn't shown in the past that he's willing to spend the money on players who can get 20 goals a season and that's what we've been crying out for.
"If we'd added a 20-goal-a-season man to the squad of last year, we would have had every chance this season.
"Wigan showed last year what you can do with a solid side and a couple of goal scorers.
"It is very frustrating, but it has always been like that at Stoke. Always being linked, but never meeting the wages or transfer fees."