Sunderland: Jack Clarke news from his agent hammers home what is going to happen: View | OneFootball

With the Championship season getting closer and closer to its conclusion, thoughts at some clubs will already be looking ahead to the summer.

We dare say that may be the case at Sunderland in recent days, following recent comments made regarding star player Jack Clarke.

Clarke, until his recent injury, was having an incredible season at the Stadium of Light, which has naturally led to plenty of speculation over his future at the club.

Rumours actually started last summer, with Premier League outfit Burnley seeing bids rejected for the Sunderland star.

Clarke then attracted further interest in January, with several clubs linked, and Italian giants Lazio making a late bid to secure his signature.

The bid from the Italian side, like the previous Burnley one, .

Jack Clarke's agent makes contract revelation

Clarke now remains at the Stadium of Light, with Sunderland seriously struggling without him in their current side.

However, despite this, Clarke's agent Ian Harte has made a very interesting revelation of late.

“Burnley were keen a year ago and then Lazio came in during the January window but Sunderland didn’t feel the valuation was right," Harte explained to Free Bets via Sunderland Echo on Clarke's situation at the club.

"You know, he wants to play football. When he was playing before the injury he was playing with a smile on his face and helping the team. There was a clause in Jack’s contract that if he played a certain amount of games, which he had back earlier on in the season, then he was to be offered a new deal.

"There was an offer made but it wasn’t good enough.

"Every football club has its structures to work to but when you have a player like Jack sometimes structures have to be broken and I don’t think that is going to change unfortunately.

“We, meaning myself and Jack, were happy to sign an additional deal at Sunderland but I don’t think they are willing to budge, unfortunately.

"I think under the current structure that they have, I don’t think the offer will increase."

Ian Harte's comments offer further summer hint

Now, with Clarke already attracting plenty of transfer interest last summer and in January, it already looked as though Sunderland were going to have a tough job keeping him at the club this summer.

The fact that Clarke now looks unlikely to sign any new deal, with Sunderland, according to Harte, unwilling to go higher than their current offer, further reiterates that the 23-year-old is destined for pastures new at the end of the season.

Firstly, from the club's perspective, it makes sense to sell.

2026, meaning that this summer is the optimal time to cash in on him if no new deal is to be agreed.

Furthermore, Clarke himself, although reportedly happy to pen a new deal, must have ambitions of playing at a higher level.

This season is the second campaign in a row that he has impressed in the Championship, and with Sunderland not threatening the promotion race in terms of automatic or the play-offs this season, it would only be natural for Clarke to begin to look elsewhere.

It would be some commitment, for example, for Clarke to turn down Premier League clubs, or sides from top-flights elsewhere in Europe to remain with Sunderland, who at present, look like they will finish mid-table in the Championship.

All in all, Sunderland fans are probably accepting of the fact Clarke is going to leave the club this summer.

The player's ability warrants a test in the Premier League, and the above comments from his agent only make a summer transfer more likely, and arguably, in terms of finances, it may even be in Sunderland's interests to cash in.

Ultimately, all of the above just hammers home that Clarke's future lies away from the Stadium of Light.