Leeds United are being linked with a move for former youth star Jack Clarke, as per Football Insider.
Clarke, who was valued in excess of £10 million last summer, joined the Black Cats from Spurs but had previously been with Leeds, who received £10 million for him from Spurs in 2019. While the fee of £10 million keeps popping up, he is unlikely to be that cheap should he move between the two Championship clubs – recent reports suggest he could cost as much as £25 million.
Clarke is contracted to Sunderland until the summer of 2026, but he turned down a new deal with the Wearsiders despite reports to the contrary. With 27 goals and 16 assists during his tenure with Regis Le Bris’s side, he is one of the most effective and feared forward players in the Championship, and the expected fee will likely reflect that.
Clarke is also familiar with Leeds, which has a transfer kitty to spend following Crysencio Summerville’s move to West Ham, which is believed to have netted them around £25m plus future add-ons. There’s little doubt that is a big chunk of change, but they’d need to outlay almost all of that on any swoop for former player Clarke.
He came through the youth thanks at Leeds, joining in 2009 as a nine-year-old. He ascended to the first team in 2018 but had already impressed. In 2017, he attracted interest from Manchester City, prompting Leeds to secure him on a full-time deal. After 25 outings and two goals in the 2018/19 season, he moved to Spurs for eight figures.
Since then, he’s had loan spells back at Leeds, with QPR and Stoke City, before heading to League One Sunderland in 21/22. He helped them get promoted and signed permanently in the summer. He’s since been a revelation for them and at only 23, is developing at an alarming rate.
It’s believed Daniel Farke is in the market for a big signing, given his side’s poor start to the season. They drew 3-3 with Pompey on the opening weekend, a result many felt was a poor start, but things got worse – they were thrashed 3-0 by Middlesbrough in the League Cup, then laboured to a 0-0 draw with West Brom this weekend.
That’s left them 16th after two matches, a position Farke knows he must improve upon if he is to put them back into the Premier League after last season’s late disappointment.
Writer’s View
What a signing this would be. The natural assumption would be that any move Clarke made would be upwards, but Leeds is the one sideways step you could envisage him taking. He’s got a long history with the club, and it would be quite a tory for the York-born player to help them to the promised land.
Sunderland would do alright out of the deal, and with his contract secured until 2026, despite the failure to get him to ink a new one, they’re under no pressure. His performances don’t look like dropping off, and they’ll only sell if they know they can spend that money on a replacement.
In the Championship, £25 million will still go a long way, so if Leeds do test their resolve, it might be a deal can be struck.
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