Sunderland sporting director Kristjaan Speakman has stated that talks about a new contract for Jack Clarke will continue for the rest of the season.
Sunderland winger Clarke has been one of the club’s most vital players this season. He returned to the Championship with tremendous success during the 2022/23 season and has continued to excel in red and white.
The 23-year-old has 13 goals and four assists in 30 league outings with the Black Cats. Unsurprisingly, this has sparked interest from other clubs, with Premier League clubs looking to sign him during the January transfer window and Lazio failing with a late-winter offer.
The inability to lock Clarke down to a new contract has fueled speculation. His contract continues until 2026, so there is no pressing need for a new agreement, although it would be welcomed by the team and fans.
Sunderland director Speakman has outlined the club’s current stand on the situation. Speakman told The Northern Echo that conversations will continue throughout the season. He explains:
“I don’t think contract talks will ever end. There are always continuous conversations. I believe everyone is currently content with where things stand, and those discussions will continue.
“There are numerous factors that might influence this as time passes, but we have always maintained a very open line of communication with players and their representatives. We talked a lot about Ross Stewart, and it was never a matter of on, off, on, off. It was just continuing, and I believe that is how it is done in the present game.”
Is it inevitable that there will be more interest?
Speakman does not specify a time range or a cutoff point for the conversations, which is understandable. His Sunderland contract will still have two years left when it expires in the summer, giving the Wearside club a strong negotiating position if other teams enter the picture.
And, you would think further interest is inevitable. Long-term admirers such as Crystal Palace and Brentford may see an opportunity to strike a deal this summer but as Speakman later stressed himself, there is no desperate need for big sales to make their recruitment model work. Sunderland will have a price tag for Clarke, and they’ll expect it to be met.
If someone does conjure up the money to tempt the club into a sale, Sunderland will have ample time in the summer to identify a replacement. That makes a summer sale preferable to a winter one, as cashing in last month would’ve given little chance to find an heir to Clarke’s throne as star man at the Stadium of Light.
