Tottenham stands to gain significantly from Sunderland’s upcoming departure of star player Jack Clarke in January. Crystal Palace and Brighton, alongside Burnley and several other Premier League clubs, are vying for the talented winger’s services. Clarke’s impressive performance in the Championship last season catapulted Sunderland into the league’s top six, though their play-off aspirations were thwarted in the semi-finals by Luton. Clarke concluded the 2022/23 season with an impressive record of nine goals and 12 assists in 47 appearances, drawing attention from various suitors during the summer transfer window.
Despite the interest, Sunderland managed to retain Clarke, who has continued his excellent form in the Premier League, scoring seven goals in just 11 games. He currently shares the top scorer position in the league and was named the Championship’s Player of the Month for September. However, Tottenham’s involvement could complicate Sunderland’s efforts to hold on to their prized asset.
Having signed Clarke on a permanent deal from Tottenham following a loan stint, Sunderland rejected offers of over £10 million in the summer transfer window. Burnley made several attempts to secure his transfer but failed to reach an agreement. This reluctance to sell was partly due to a clause in the contract that entitles Tottenham to a substantial portion of any future transfer fee.
Tottenham is now poised to benefit as multiple clubs, including Burnley, plan to make moves for Clarke in the upcoming January transfer window. Crystal Palace and Brighton, who have been monitoring Clarke closely since last season, are prepared to intensify their efforts in January. Additionally, clubs like Brentford, Wolves, and Bournemouth have shown interest in Clarke this season, though they appear less likely to pursue a transfer.
Sunderland reportedly values Clarke at around £20 million, with Premier League clubs looking to start bidding at £15 million. The exact percentage of Tottenham’s future sale cut has not been disclosed, but it could potentially be as high as 50%. This means that any transfer involving Clarke would go a long way in mitigating Tottenham’s losses on the £10 million they initially paid to Leeds United for the winger in the summer of 2019. Clarke made just four appearances for Tottenham before departing permanently in the summer of 2022.
Leave a Reply