Wolverhampton Wanderers will face competition if they pursue their interest in Sunderland winger Jack Clarke, with Southampton now involved. The Old Gold were connected with Clarke in the winter, with a host of Premier League clubs like West Ham United, Crystal Palace and Everton. Clarke, Sunderland’s leading scorer this season with 15 goals in 40 Championship games, stole the show at the Stadium of Light. The Black Cats had a dismal season, finishing 16th and 17 points shy of the playoffs, but Clarke tried everything he could to make his squad competitive.
Clarke, who stormed the Championship for the second consecutive season, is once again on the radar of Premier League clubs. According to the Daily Echo and The Telegraph, Southampton have added the 23-year-old to their shortlist, putting pressure on Wolves, West Ham, Palace, and Everton to follow suit. Sunderland describe Jack Clarke’s intentions. The Black Cats are not sure Clarke will depart this summer, especially given their alleged £20 million asking price. Interim coach Mike Dodds insisted before Sunderland’s last game of the season, at home to Sheffield Wednesday, that it wasn’t definitely Clarke’s farewell fixture.
“He still has a long period on his contract,” Dodds told Sunderland Echo, our sister magazine. “I’ll be quite intrigued by the Jack situation. I know there was a lot of interest last summer, but the club felt it was nowhere near their valuation. “I’m not going to get drawn into what the football club wants or Jack wants, but I don’t feel it is as completely foregone if that makes sense in terms of Jack is going to leave the football club,” Dodds said.
