Serie A club make significant eight-figure offer for Sunderland star | OneFootball

Serie A outfit Lazio have become the latest club to enter the race to sign Sunderland star Jack Clarke, making a significant eight-figure offer.

That is according to The Sun, who are reporting that the Italian club made a £15 million bid for the Black Cats star last night.

Lazio make £15 million bid for Jack Clarke

The report suggests that the Italian side could be disappointed, though.

The article claims that Sunderland knocked back a similar bid from Premier League side West Ham United last week, which would suggest they would do the same to the one from the Italian club.

Furthermore, Clarke's previous club, Tottenham Hotspur, reportedly hold a sell-on clause on any deal for the player, which could affect Sunderland's valuation.

Either way, the report suggests that the Black Cats are determined to keep hold of Clarke this January.

If Sunderland are indeed determined to keep hold of Clarke this month, it certainly backs up comments made by club boss Mick Beale earlier this month.

Naturally, Clarke's future has been a big talking point all month, but in mid-January, the Black Cats boss had the following to say on his star man.

"If you're doing what he's doing week-in, week-out at the top end of the Championship there's going to be people speaking well of you and there's going to be speculation. I want that for our players," Beale said on Clarke, via Sunderland Nation.

"That means that we're doing well as a club and the players are doing well and thriving in our environment. I've not heard of any enquiries coming directly into the club.

"I'd be lying if I said I'd welcome them because we want Jack here playing for a strong Sunderland team, certainly to see out what this team is trying to do this season. Jack seems super-focused.

"I've been really impressed with him since I came in in terms of his work ethic and quality. I think the speculation is always going to be there when you're scoring the amount of goals he is.

"We're under no pressure to sell any players. In all these things, there are a lot of different angles.

"At the moment, Jack is super-happy, he is focused, his training level is high. If certain bids come in for your players as a Championship club, they are not welcome but they get to a number and the Premier League numbers can cause chaos to your season in a month like January.

"But I don't envisage anything coming our way and I know that the commitment that the owners have to this season and to the project. When I was coming in to the club there weren't any concerns on that."

Sunderland must stand firm on Jack Clarke

Given they have rejected a similar bid from West Ham, Sunderland surely have to stand firm on their Jack Clarke valuation amid this latest bid from Lazio.

Having left it this late in the window, were they to sell Clarke, it would be very difficult to replace him.

Regardless of that, given the club are in the hunt for a play-off place, they should be looking to strengthen this month, rather than sell their best assets.