Here we look at why Burnley are keen to do a deal for Sunderland’s Jack Clarke.
- Sunderland are demanding £15m for Jack Clarke, indicating their determination to keep hold of him despite Burnley’s interest.
- Clarke is a highly talented player who has shown significant improvement in the past six months, with 21 goal contributions in the Championship last season.
- Clarke’s style of play and potential for future growth make him a perfect fit for Vincent Kompany’s system at Burnley, and he could be a valuable long-term investment for the club.
Sunderland are doing all they can to keep hold of Jack Clarke this summer, despite strong interest from Burnley.
4Sunderland want £15m for Jack Clarke
The 22-year-old enjoyed a brilliant individual campaign as the Black Cats reached the play-offs, with Clarke scoring nine
goals and registering 12 assists.
Therefore, it’s perhaps no surprise that there is top-flight interest in Clarke, and it’s Burnley who are pushing hardest to sign
the former Leeds man.
The latest update has suggested that Sunderland are holding out for £15m for Clarke after turning down an offer in the
region of £10m. It remains to be seen whether the Clarets meet that asking price, with the report stating it could be too expensive.
Yet, it’s thought that Kompany still wants a new wide man, and here we outline THREE reasons why he is so keen to bring
Clarke to Turf Moor…
3He is ready for the step up
We’ll start with the obvious one. Clarke is a fantastic player, who was highly-rated at Leeds, which saw Spurs splash out to
sign the player from Leeds.
So, the natural talent has been there, but Clarke hadn’t shown what he could do over a significant length of time. That
changed under Tony Mowbray though, with the wide man taking his game up a level over the past six months.
To have 21 goal contributions in the Championship is outstanding, but it’s not just the end product, as Clarke is a constant
threat with how he plays. He can go on the outside, he can come infield, and he has a great change of pace.
If the move did happen, Burnley would be getting someone who is one of the top talents outside of the Premier League.
2He fits Vincent Kompany’s style
Crucially, Kompany would be getting a player that would be able to thrive in his system.
Anyone who saw Burnley play last season will have recognised that they are a team that love to attack, and they play with
real width. In truth, it wasn’t too different to the front foot approach that Sunderland adopt, and it’s what attacking players want.
Of course, you would imagine Burnley won’t be doing as much attacking in the Premier League, but Kompany isn’t going to
abandon his principles entirely. With that in mind, Clarke seems the perfect fit, and he would take that position on the left
flank, where he would be a massive threat.
1He could be sold on in the future
Finally, at 22 Clarke is a player who has his best years in front of him, so it would be a smart long-term investment for the
Clarets.
That also means he could be sold on for a bigger fee in the future. Sunderland themselves have put a big focus on recruiting
young players who have room to grow, as it makes business sense, so the same would apply to Burnley.
Given his age, the club could get great value out of Clarke over the next few years, and then potentially sell him on for a
profit down the line. From both a financial and football perspective, this is a transfer that could work very well for Burnley
READ MORE:
Why ex-Southampton man didn’t have to look far to seek advice before making Burnley move
The winger was one of three new arrivals last week after joining Zeki Amdouni and James Trafford in making
the move to Turf Moor this summer.
The 29-year-old joins on a free transfer following his recent departure from Turkish side Besiktas, penning a two-year deal
with the option of a further 12 months.
The experienced wide man spent the season in Istanbul, scoring five times in 25 appearances after making the switch from
Southampton.
Redmond previously made 232 appearances over a six-year spell with the Saints, scoring 30 times, before his contract ran
out last summer.
During that time, he played alongside the likes of Jack Cork, Jay Rodriguez and Michael Obafemi and he sought their advice
before completing his switch to East Lancashire.
“I knew a few of the players that were here anyway like Corky, Jay Rod and Michael, Nathan Tella was here last year as well.
A lot of the other boys I’ve played against anyway, so in terms of getting a high review, it was easy to come by,” he
told Clarets+.
“In terms of the management team, it was more about the ethos, the style of play and the culture he’s trying to create.
“There were a lot of positive things that made me feel a part of something that can hopefully build for the future.”
Redmond flew out to Belgium for Saturday’s friendly against Genk but didn’t feature, but will now be focused on making his
mark out in Lisbon during the club’s training camp.
It’s been a whirlwind few days for the former Birmingham City man, who was only unveiled as a Burnley player on Friday.
“I had never seen the training ground before and the surroundings are great,” he added.
“The people that work here as well are fantastic and have made me feel so welcome from minute one.
“That alone is super valuable, but every person I speak to speaks so highly about the manager and the culture he’s managed
to change in such a short space of time.
“Everyone around is so appreciative of what he’s managed to do in a year.”
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