Jack Clarke’s replacement could have come at Sunderland.
The arrival of Romaine Mundle might be Sunderland FC’s long-term replacement for Jack Clarke.
Despite his lack of first-team experience, Romaine Mundle could be the long-term Jack Clarke alternative that Sunderland FC has been looking for.
Despite losing two of their top scorers last summer and changing managers at the conclusion of last year, the Black Cats have impressed by contending for Championship play-off places.
Amad Diallo returned to Manchester United after his loan at the Stadium of Light expired, while striker Ross Stewart joined Southampton for £8 million in the summer.
After their departures, Clarke took over as the main guy at the Stadium of Light. He is now the club’s leading scorer and one of the key reasons why they are contending for the top six during a difficult season marked by considerable turmoil, including the resignation of manager Tony Mowbray and his replacement, Mick Beale.
Mundle’s signing may not have a significant impact on their fortunes this season, but it appears to be a long-term move.
Mundle joined the Black Cats during the January transfer window.
Sunderland signed former Tottenham Hotspur winger Mundle on deadline day, bringing his time in Belgium to an end after only half a season.
Spurs offered the forward a new contract in the summer, but he refused it and moved to Standard Liege. He had hoped that would allow him to play first-team football for the first time, but he struggled to find time on the field.
Despite only playing 146 minutes for the Belgian club, Mundle piqued Sunderland’s interest, and the club signed him to a long-term contract on February 1st, keeping him at the Stadium of Light until 2028.
While he is unlikely to become an immediate starter for the Black Cats, the four-and-a-half-year contract allows him to develop as a footballer, with the goal of being a significant player for Sunderland in the future.
He could be Clarke’s successor in a few years.
While he is not yet ready to shoulder the responsibility, Mundle has the potential to be the Clarke replacement that Sunderland may require in the future.
Following a strong first half of the season, there has been a lot of interest in the forward this winter. Teams such as West Ham and Lazio have been connected with a bid for the Englishman, with a £20 million cost rumored to be necessary to sign the 23-year-old.
Mundle and Clarke have some similarities, as both spent time with the Spurs youth squad before leaving when it became evident there was no room for them in the first team.
Mundle left the club last year after refusing a new deal with Spurs and joining Standard Liege. While he didn’t play much and didn’t score or assist for the club, his performances impressed Sunderland’s recruitment department.
While the 20-year-old hasn’t wowed the world at senior level yet, the expectation is that he can settle in at the Stadium of Light and progress, potentially becoming a long-term successor for Clarke if he leaves.
He is a quick and dangerous winger who can cut inside and shoot on the fly and can play on either flank equally well. However, his major flaw is a lack of game time in his career, with the 20-year-old appearing in only seven senior games.
As a result, Sunderland cannot count on him to be a quick replacement for Clarke, who has established himself as one of the Championship’s top players, and will be relieved that a departure from the club did not occur in January.
Mundle signed a four-and-a-half-year contract with the Black Cats at the beginning of February, showing that they consider him as a long-term answer.
Clarke appears to be bound for greater things, so having a potential long-term replacement now allows the club to ease him into the system rather than forcing him into the role before he is ready.
It is unclear whether the former Spurs player can match the Sunderland talisman’s level, but he was well regarded in North London prior to his departure and is still young enough to improve his game and become a crucial player for the Championship team.
It may take him a few years to adjust to Sunderland, but there’s a potential we’ll be talking about him in the same way we do about Clarke in a few years time.
