WITH Sunderland braced to receive a string of formal offers for Jack Clarke this summer, the winger’s agent has warned that “every player has their price” and acknowledged the possibility of a deal that would see his client leaving Wearside.

Clarke was one of the Black Cats’ star performers last season, with his tally of 11 goals and 13 assists making him one of the most effective forwards in the whole of the Championship.

His performances have hardly gone unnoticed, with a string of Premier League clubs being linked with a potential summer move for his services. Crystal Palace, Brentford, Burnley and Everton have all been credited with an interest in the 22-year-old, who is contracted to the Stadium of Light to the summer of 2026.

The Sunderland hierarchy do not want to lose Clarke this summer, but the club’s financial model under Kyril Louis-Dreyfus is built around buying promising young players who can then be developed and improved within the first-team set-up before being sold on at a profit.

Clarke’s agent is former Sunderland full-back Ian Harte, and the Irishman insists the winger is happy and settled on Wearside, and delighted to be working under Tony Mowbray.

However, he is also aware of the strengthening interest in Clarke, and has suggested there could come a point where Sunderland are unable to turn down offers if they reach a high enough level.

“It’s a good time to be at Sunderland, and I think all the Sunderland fans are in the best spirits they’ve been in a long time,” said Harte, in an interview with inews. “Jack loves it at Sunderland, and he’s got three years left (on his contract).

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“Of course, I can’t control what other clubs are going to do. If other clubs contact Sunderland, that’s unfortunately out of my control. I think every player, no matter what league you’re in, has a price, and no matter what club you’re at, if a club is happy with it, they’ll take it.”

Clarke initially joined Sunderland on loan from Tottenham in the second half of the 2021-22 season, and completed a permanent move from north London last summer.

His career failed to ignite with Spurs, with expectations perhaps having been set at too high a level when he moved to the capital from Leeds for a fee of around £10m in 2019.

He has successfully turned things around with Sunderland, with his attacking threat from either flank having made him an integral part of Mowbray’s first-choice starting line-up last season.

“I’m just delighted he’s gone out and had the season he’s had because a lot of Tottenham fans criticised him and said they should never have signed him,” added Harte, who was speaking to the i courtesy of Freebets. “But he’s proven he’s got the ability to be involved.

“He’s had 11 goals and 13 assists. Stats don’t lie. It’s his first year playing in the Championship, he’s played in the majority of games, and now it’s about building on that.”