The Championship‘s most in-demand forward is Sunderland‘s Jack Clarke.
Those with long memories may recall Clarke as the teenager whose coltish raw ability prompted Tottenham to pay Leeds United £10m for his services in 2019.
The idea back then was that he would be part of Spurs’ next generation of homegrown stars who could capitalise on their Champions League success.
Instead he became the victim of managerial churn in N17, passed over by successive managers and farmed out on loan to QPR and then Sunderland.
It was on Wearside where he rediscovered his swagger, signing permanently after a successful loan in the summer of 2022 for less than a tenth of what Tottenham paid for him.
One of the shining stars of Sunderland’s bucaneering, youthful team last season, he scored 11 goals and provided 13 assists as the Black Cats reached the play-offs. His value has subsequently sky-rocketed.
Premier League scouts are paying attention and there is understood to be interest from Burnley, Crystal Palace, Brentford and Everton in the winger. Offers upwards of £15m might prompt a conversation.
But his agent Ian Harte has told i that Clarke is happy at Sunderland, Tony Mowbray is the perfect man to help his career “kick on” and he has no intention of pushing for a move.
His caveat to that is that “every player has a price” and neither the player nor his representatives have any control if Sunderland decide to accept an offer for the former England under-20 international.
But the warm words about his development and the part played by Mowbray in that should provide considerable comfort to Sunderland fans hoping that the club can build on last season’s impressive sixth-placed finish.
“I’ve looked after him from a young age. He’s a brilliant person. We’ve got a special team around him, advising him, guiding him,” Harte, a decorated former player with Leeds and the Republic of Ireland, tells i.
“I’m just delighted he’s gone out and had the season he’s had because a lot of Tottenham fans criticised him and said they should never have signed him but he’s proven he’s got the ability to be involved.
“He’s had 11 goals and 13 assists. Stats don’t lie. It’s his first year playing in the Championship, he’s played in the majority of games and now it’s about building on that.”
Whether that happens at the Stadium of Light will be a test of owner Kyril-Louis Dreyfus’ intriguing model.
Sunderland want to become a hothouse for the best young talent but what that means for keeping hold of their best players isn’t clear. Clearly some player trading might be expected to keep developing.
What is clear, though, is that Clarke has no interest in agitating for a move.
“He loves it. It’s a great group of lads [at Sunderland],” says Harte, speaking courtesy of Freebets.
“He plays golf with [team-mates] Ross Stewart and Patrick Roberts and there’s a real bond there. It’s a good time to be at Sunderland and I think all the Sunderland fans are in the best spirits they’ve been in a long time.
“Jack loves it at Sunderland and he’s got three years [of his contract] left. Of course I can’t control what other clubs are going to do. If other clubs contact Sunderland that’s unfortunately out of my control.
“I think every player, no matter what league you’re in, has a price and no matter what club you’re at if a club is happy with it they’ll take it.
“But top and bottom of it, I love going [to Sunderland]. I live locally and I also look after Niall Huggins who will hopefully kick on and have a really positive season next year and play games. We’ll just have to wait and see [what happens].”
The wider point is that for those who represent the best young talent in the country, Sunderland are a credible option once more.
“All the lads loved [former manager] Alex Neil but since Tony [Mowbray]’s come in it’s moved up a level. He’s a good guy. For young lads, he’s willing to sit down, talk and explain to them how to improve,” Harte says.
“Some of the football that Sunderland played this season has been breathtaking and finishing sixth was an incredible achievement in their first season back.”
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