West Ham and Bournemouth leading transfer chase for £17m Sunderland star

The race to capture this Sunderland star, who is valued at £17 million, is now being led by West Ham and Bournemouth in the summer.

Since the Black Cats have not yet named a new manager, Sunderland appears to be in for another hectic summer, both on and off the field.

Furthermore, Sunderland’s owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus doesn’t seem to be in a rush, thus the team’s hunt for Michael Beale’s replacement may go well into the summer.

The Black Cats are reportedly going to continue their transfer business as usual in the interim, with sports director Kristjaan Speakman under pressure to produce better results in the transfer market this summer.

While recruiting new players will be necessary, it will also be crucial to supervise the right exits, with one name possibly being more significant than others: Jack Clarke.

West Ham and Bournemouth leading race to sign Jack Clarke at Sunderland

All season long, Clarke has drawn interest from the Premier League and Europe, and following another stellar semester in the second division, he appears ready to move on.

The 2023–24 Championship season saw the former Leeds United and Spurs player score 15 goals and record four assists. West Ham was one of his long-term suitors.

According to recent claims that have surfaced from the Daily Mirror (print edition from May 9, 2024), Bournemouth and the Hammers are presently leading the hunt to recruit Clarke this summer.

Many supporters would contend that Sunderland’s asking price of £17 million for Clarke this summer is way too cheap, despite earlier reports claiming as much.

Jack Clarke exit may mean good news for one player at Sunderland

It had long appeared obvious that Clarke would leave this summer after yet another excellent campaign for the 23-year-old.

From the club’s point of view, they may have done well to repel interest in the summer of last year, since they now stand to make twice as much as they could have, when Burnley put in a £10 million bid.

While the exact amount of this alleged £17 million is debatable, Tommy Watson, one of Sunderland’s finest players, may benefit from Clarke’s departure.

Although the 17-year-old has been drawing attention for the younger teams this season, Mike Dodds gave Watson his first-ever game debut in the closing minutes of the competition.

Watson may have been up and running in time for the upcoming season, but it appears that he is currently behind in his development. Clarke’s departure will undoubtedly provide room for Watson.

Watson won’t start right away for Sunderland, since they will almost certainly recruit a direct replacement. However, Watson might start for Sunderland next time around as a late substitute and starter.

This summer, Speakman and Sunderland must make the most of these Clarke millions since interest is already beginning to pick up.

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