Jack Clarke latest: Contract situation will not dictate any January transfer decision

Sunderland are braced for January interest in Jack Clarke but there is no concern over contract situation.

Michael Graham | Nov 6, 2023

Jack Clarke latest: Contract situation will not dictate any January transfer decision /

Sunderland are relaxed about the future of Jack Clarke, despite weekend press reports of concerns over his future.

Clarke is the joint top scorer in the Championship this season, with him already plundering nine goals in just 15 games.

That is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the former Leeds and Tottenham man, though. His progressive carries are off the charts as well, highlighting his ability to get his team up the pitch.

For context, Clarke has already registered 122 progressive carries this season, which is just 76 short of the number Viktor Gyokores led the division with in the whole of last season.

Naturally, Clarke has attracted interest from the Premier League as a result of his performances, with Alan Nixon reporting Brentford are the latest team to plan a serious bid in January.

However, while Sunderland would certainly be keen to tie him down to a longer deal, the winger still has more than two years left on the contract he signed in the summer of 2022.

It would also take considerably more than the reported £15m that Brentford are preparing the tempt Sunderland into selling.

Much of that is down to a chunky sell-on clause which would entitle Tottenham to around a third of any fee Sunderland receive for Clarke, but mostly it is driven my previous deals.

Brentford themselves have helped set that benchmark when they sold Said Benrahma to West Ham for a reported £25million when they were in the Championship.

That was on the back of a very similar product from the Algerian in the second tier as Clarke. Benrahma had 24 goal contributions (goals plus assists) in his first season at Brentford, compared to 20 for Clarke, and followed that up with 25 in his second campaign. Considering Clarke is already on 10, the numbers are certainly comparable.

Clarke will command an additional premium due to being English and the fact he contributes to the homegrown criteria all Premier League squads must adhere to as well.

Brentford also paid Hull £16million for Keane Lewis-Potter in the summer of 2022, and that was on the back of a single Championship season which saw 15 goal contributions from the winger.

Therefore, it is very easy to see why any talk of £15million being enough to get Jack Clarke out of Sunderland right now would appear fanciful.

There is, of course, a very real danger that Clarke will be the subject of sustained Premier League interest during January. It happened in the summer with Burnley trying to sign the 22-year-old, and Sunderland are expecting more interest in the new year.

However, his contract situation will not, in any way, shape any decision they take on him.

In fact, the current belief within the club is that Clarke is playing at a level that will mean Premier League football is almost inevitable for him regardless, with or without Sunderland, and his performances will force a move before the impending end of his current contract can.

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