Hammers linked with Sunderland hot-shot Clarke
WEST Ham United are the latest club to be linked with a move for Sunderland’s Jack Clarke.
Although the winger has reiterated he has enjoyed being at Sunderland since he joined, the 23-year-old is likely to move on this summer with a host of clubs said to be interested in him. inews reported that Italian side Lazio had a bid worth £16.5m for the winger rejected by the
Black Cats in the winter window. Clarke is under contract until 2026 and Sunderland did put a new deal on the table which is believed to have remained unsigned.
His agent, Ian Harte, spoke to inews earlier this month and revealed he doesn’t believe that Clarke will sign a new deal.
“There’s not many people know this but in Jack’s contract he had to play a few games at the start of this season to then get offered a new deal,” said Harte. “There was a deal that was offered but it wasn’t good enough. We were happy to sign a deal but that was earlier on in the summer time and it hasn’t been revisited. They have a [wage] structure. Lots of clubs have that. I don’t think [Sunderland] want to break any structure for any football player so I can’t see it happening, no.”
Harte had previously gone on record to say he believes his player will be playing in the Premier League next season and should that happen, Sunderland will lose their most influential performer and one that will be hard to replace.
Sunderland legend Gordon Armstrong has already stated it would be easier to replace a centre-back such as Dan Ballard than Clarke, who has such a high percentage in terms of the goals he is involved with.
The situation regarding Clarke is a delicate one as the club’s owner Kyril Louisdreyfus will be conscious of not letting the player’s current contract run down, particularly as the model is to cash in on young talent.