West Ham United have reportedly received a major boost in their pursuit of Sunderland attacker Jack Clark, with the Black Cats resigned to lose their star-man in the summer transfer window.
According to Football Insider, Sunderland have “resigned themselves to losing star man Jack Clarke” in the upcoming summer transfer window, with West Ham United among several Premier League clubs chasing after his signature.
The 23-year-old winger is considered to be one of the Championship’s most exciting attackers, having scored an impressive 15 goals and notched four assists in 33 league appearances so far for Sunderland.
The attacker spent three years at Tottenham between 2019 and 2022 but failed to make a single appearance for the North Londoners. Now, reports suggest he is ready for another crack at Premier League football.
That would mean Clarke will push to leave Sunderland if they are not promoted this term. The Black Cats currently sit in tenth place in the Championship table, four points adrift of the play-off places following a 2-1 defeat to Birmingham City over the weekend, which proved to be the final nail in recently-sacked Michael Beale’s proverbial coffin.
West Ham remain interested in Jack Clarke
The report claims that West Ham United also remain interested in the Black Cats’ talisman after seeing a £15 million bid rejected for his services in January, with Sunderland demanding a fee of £20 million to prize away the man who still has two years left on his contract at the Stadium of Light.
Despite being linked with a number of potential replacements for the departing Said Benrahma and Pablo Fornals, the Hammers ultimately made no permanent signings in the January transfer window. This has already come back to bite them as they remain winless in 2024, and it has become evident that David Moyes’s side needs a massive rebuild.
Someone like Jack Clarke could be a wise addition to West Ham’s squad as long as he is given the time to adapt to the highest level of English football. He has developed his overall game since an underwhelming spell at Tottenham and will add another creative outlet in attack, while he is also capable of striking a ball hard and low without breaking stride.
The East London outfit may be willing to renegotiate with the Black Cats in the summer. But they will have to battle for his signature. Apparently, Southampton and Crystal Palace are also monitoring his situation, with the former only willing to make a move if they seal promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking.
