Everton and Fulham's interest in Brentford midfield star could spell bad news for Sunderland: View | OneFootball

Jack Clarke's form this year has pushed him closer to a move to the Premier League either with Sunderland or with another club come the end of the season - but that could be expedited with transfer news coming out of south-west London.

Clarke has been in magnificent form for Sunderland over the past 18 months, beginning his Championship campaign with the Black Cats last season with nine goals in 45 league games - but it's been this season where he's been a level above.

14 goals and assists in just 26 games for the Wearside outfit has almost single-handedly dragged them to the play-off picture, and they'll be looking to do everything they can to keep him on the books whilst top-flight sharks circle his signature in the coming weeks.

But that could happen sooner than anticipated as a result of Fulham and Everton's interest in a Brentford player, leaving the Bees with the funds to swoop in for the 23-year-old.

Brentford transfer latest

According to The Guardian, Brentford midfielder Frank Onyeka has piqued the interest of fellow Premier League sides Everton and Fulham.

Having signed for the Bees upon their promotion to the top-flight for a fee of around £9 million, according to Transfermarkt, Onyeka perhaps hasn’t featured as much as he would’ve liked for the Bees up until this season by only making 41 combined league appearances in his first two seasons at the Gtech Community Stadium; essentially missing every other league game possible.

This season however, the Nigerian has featured in 15 of Brentford’s top-flight matches.

With Fulham and Everton both wary over the futures of star central midfielders Joao Palhinha and Amadou Onana respectively, it appears the duo are both taking proactive measures and subsequently, Onyeka has been shortlisted should the worst happen and their stars leave in the coming weeks.

A fee of over £20million has been touted for Onyeka, which would evidently give Brentford the chance to spend money in the window - and with Bryan Mbuemo out for some considerable time and with the Bees needing a winger to come into the fold, that may well spark fear on Wearside.

Brentford were linked with Jack Clarke earlier in the transfer window, and with the Black Cats reportedly wanting £20million for his services, it’s an ideal amount for Brentford should Onyeka depart for a similar fee.

They're used to using Mbeumo and Yoann Wissa on the flanks with Ivan Toney up front, but with Toney being banned for almost a year and his return only just nearing, they've had to use the duo in a more attacking role. Mbeumo is out injured, and thus Keane Lewis-Potter, Saman Ghoddos and Mikkel Damsgaard have featured - though none have massively impressed and as a result, Brentford are only now four points above the drop at time of writing.

Clarke is arguably the hottest wing prospect in the Championship alongside Crysencio Summerville and Stephy Mavididi at the moment and at the age of just 23, he's got room to improve - which fits into Brentford's mantra in the manner that they've signed other, similar talents before in the form of Ezri Konsa, Ollie Watkins, Said Benrahma and more.

Would Brentford be a good club for Jack Clarke?

There's multiple Premier League interest in Clarke's services, so it only seems a matter of time until he is in the top-flight - either with Sunderland or without.

Brentford, much like Brighton, are a club that are happy to afford minutes to younger stars with the aim of increasing their transfer value; Ivan Toney is the more obvious name on the list, but the likes of David Raya have also proved fruitful to the south-west London club.

In terms of attractive Premier League clubs to join in that regard, Clarke has to find a mixture of game time and quality when choosing a new club. He will perhaps be glad he didn't join Burnley in the summer with the Clarets doing poorly in the league, and if he joins Brentford, he's likely to avoid the drop if they can utilise Toney well in the second half of the season.