Jack Clarke’s agent tells i the forward is ‘happy’ at the Stadium of Light – but admits the club will have their price in January
Despite continued interest from Brentford and Burnley, in-demand Jack Clarke is “happy” at Sunderland and does not want to leave during the January transfer window.
Clarke “loves it” at the Stadium of Light, according to agent Ian Harte, who also expressed doubts about the 22-year-old winger’s departure in January.
After the Clarets’ summer transfer window bid of approximately £15 million was rejected, Clarke has been in incredible form, netting 10 goals in 19 games, including Saturday’s winning and converted goal that gave the Black Cats a crucial point against Millwall.
He has grown more crucial to Sunderland’s chances of launching a promotion push as Tony Mowbray’s team struggles to translate their game-controlling dominance into goals, and they cannot afford to lose him in the New Year.
“Jack is content. He adores Sunderland,” Harte remarked.
“Undoubtedly, a club made an attempt to remove him during the summer. They made the offer to Sunderland, but Sunderland turned it down. Clearly, in that circumstance, Jack needs to maintain his professionalism and go out and give performances, and he has and will continue to do so.
Given Sunderland’s transfer model, Harte accepts the matter may be taken out of Clarke’s hands if a rival team meet whatever valuation the Black Cats have on him. But there is no desire to depart,
and his contract expires in 2026.
Speaking on behalf of Free Bets, Harte remarked, “I’ve always said Jack is happy at Sunderland, he loves it at the club, he gets along with the group of players.”
“I assume Sunderland has a valuation. If that valuation is satisfied, I’m sure they’ll be politely telling Jack and me, ‘Thanks for your time, but it’s time to move on.'”
As one of the more high-profile and vocal agents, Harte found himself in the firing line with some Sunderland supporters in the summer for the speculation surrounding Clarke – but he says his role has always been to guide his client’s careers, not agitate for transfers.
“Any of the players I look after, I care for them like they’re my kids,” he said.
“Of course the difficulty for me is I’m an ex-professional footballer so I’m public and on social media. So in the summer time when Jack was getting linked here, there and everywhere a lot of the Sunderland fans were coming at me saying: ‘You greedy agent, this, that and the other’. But that’s not the case.
“Jack is content there; it’s clear from his goals and assists this season that he’s not pouting about it. Although being an agent can be challenging, I must admit that I enjoy my work.
Maintaining Clarke will undoubtedly be essential to Sunderland’s plans to succeed in 2024.
They are facing some of the challenges that come with having such a young team, especially after shocking a lot of people with their run to the playoffs last season.
Inconsistency is part of the problem but the summer sale of prolific Ross Stewart, replaced with unproven potential in the form of Ukrainian Nazariy Rusyn, Portuguese forward Hemir and Chelsea loanee Mason Burstow, has compounded their woes in front of goal
Mowbray has faced criticism but the question is whether this is an inevitable consequence of a philosophy that is brave but risky.
“The missing piece of the jigsaw for S
underland, because they’ve got quality all over the pitch, is a goalscorer,” Harte – a former Sunderland player himself – says.
“They obviously have young strikers in right now, but they need a goal scorer with experience.
If they had a player with a little bit more experience, Mason Burstow, a good young player on loan, and Rusyn, who is entering and learning the Championship, would both be right in the mix.
“Let’s wait and see what January brings. If they don’t try to bring in someone with a little more experience, the second half of the season will be challenging.”
Niall Huggins, a defender for Sunderland who has established himself on the squad this season, is also represented by Harte.
I am aware that the club is in the process of negotiating a new contract for the 22-year-old defender, who was recently called up to the Wales national team.
“Niall’s season has been incredible thus far. Since he has been injured for a year and a half, he has had to exercise patience, Harte said.
“I always knew he was a very, very good player when he was at Leeds. He is a capable left- and right-back.
“He received a call-up to the Wales national team as compensation for his performance. We’ll just have to keep an eye on things while he continues to do what he’s doing; he only has a year and a half left.
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