Sunderland turn to Preston North End player as potential Jack Clarke replacement | OneFootball

Yet to sign anyone in the January transfer window amid increasing supporter frustrations, Sunderland have just a week-and-a-half left to do any business to bolster their squad for the final three months of the season.

And they will be just hoping that to fund any potential deals, they don't have to sell a first-team star like Anthony Patterson, Dan Neil or Jack Clarke.

The trio have been linked with moves away from the Stadium of Light with Premier League interest rife, but the one who is likeliest to attract the most interest is the latter.

Plenty of top flight clubs are interested in Sunderland's 23-year-old talisman, with The Sun's Alan Nixon claiming that the Black Cats hierarchy want £18 million for him - a price Brentford are unwilling to pay right now.

However, Sunderland have been identifying targets and potential replacements for Clarke should he be sold at any point in January or the summer, and Preston North End's fleet-footed attacker Liam Millar is on their radar.

That is according to the aforementioned Nixon via his Patreon account, who claims that the Wearside outfit have been impressed by Canada international Millar since he returned to England with the Lilywhites.

An ex-Liverpool youth player who went out on loan to Kilmarnock and Charlton Athletic a few years ago, Millar joined Swiss side Basel in 2021, but PNE made a loan move for him and landed the winger on deadline day in September 2023.

Millar only has seven goal contributions compared to Clarke's 15 at the time of writing, but the 24-year-old often plays at left wing-back under Ryan Lowe, and when he does get further forward he has been exciting to watch for North End.

And with no option to sign Millar for a fixed permanent fee at the end of his loan spell, PNE could be powerless to stop the forward from heading elsewhere in the summer - or this month if Sunderland don't wait that long to make a move.

Sunderland could gazump North End for Millar deal

As it has been reported this week, PNE's financial records for the year ending June 2023 don't make for ultra positive reading, as they are right up against it in terms of the EFL's profit and sustainability regulations for this season as well.

There is little wiggle room in the budget to try and make Millar's loan deal a permanent one this month, and if Sunderland do end up cashing in on Clarke before the month is out, then they could easily gazump their play-off challenging rivals for Millar's services.

They would have the financial clout to make a deal happen, whereas North End will be struggling this month to do it - and they may even have a fight on their hands if it gets to the summer as plenty of clubs will be keen on the maverick winger.

It would be a disappointing one for PNE to lose out on, but Millar plays a lot like Clarke in the sense he is a proficient dribbler and makes things happen, so it's understandable why Sunderland are keen.