da aposte e ganhe： Sunderland could be set to lose one of their most integral players next year, with a fresh report claiming that they are happy to cash in on him in January.
Sunderland transfer updates: Clarke, Ballard
da heads bet： Over the summer, Tony Mowbray sanctioned the permanent sales of Ross Stewart, Leon Dajaku, Bailey Wright, Carl Winchester, Lynden Gooch, Isaac Lihadji and Danny Batth, whilst sending Elliot Embleton, Alex Bass and Joe Anderson out on loan for the remainder of the season, but there’s now another star who is being targeted.
At the Stadium of Light, Daniel Ballard is once again wanted by Premier League side Burnley after he previously turned down the opportunity to join them, but it would appear that the defender isn’t the only first-team feature in the northeast that Vincent Kompany’s side have set their sights on.
Before September 1st, Jack Clarke was the subject of a £10m rejected offer from the Clarets, but having made an impressive start to the new season, where he’s established himself as the Championship club’s overall top-performing player with a match rating of 7.54 (WhoScored – Sunderland statistics), he is back on their radar.
As per the same outlet as above, Burnley and Brentford are both preparing bids for the left-winger at the start of next year, and whilst the red and whites stripes stayed strong in their position before the previous transfer deadline, it sounds like they now have other ideas regarding the 22-year-old’s future.
Jack Clarke transfer update
According to Football Insider, who have shared a transfer update on Jack Clarke, Sunderland are holding out for a fee of more than £15m for their prized asset, but then would be willing to sell.
The Bees and Clarets are both once again name-checked as his two potential suitors, and it’s stated that the northeast outfit would be more than happy to sanction their attacker’s sale should they receive their desired fee in January.
How many goals has Jack Clarke scored?
In the Championship this season, Clarke has scored seven goals in 11 appearances which shows how prolific he can be in the final third (Transfermarkt – Clarke statistics), and even if the ball doesn’t always hit the back of the net, he poses a constant threat to the opposition.
The York-born talent has recorded 38 crosses and 21 shots in the second-tier so far this term, both of which are higher than any of his fellow teammates (FBRef – Sunderland statistics), showing what a standout star he is when it comes to creating opportunities.
Furthermore, Mowbray’s dynamo is a versatile operator having been deployed in six different positions over the pitch since the start of his career, including three roles across the frontline and the same number in the midfield, so his ability to adapt makes him a wonderful option for any manager to have at their disposal.
Whilst Clarke is a “golden” player that Sunderland should want to retain the services of, as hailed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, it’s easy to understand that they could be tempted to cash in should they receive a respectable offer, so this will be a situation to keep a close eye on in the weeks and months ahead.