Jack Clarke features: 3 Romaine Mundle replacements Sunderland must consider as PSV & OGC Nice circle | OneFootball

Football League World runs the rule over three potential Romaine Mundle replacements Sunderland could turn to if the winger departs this summer

Sunderland will be basking in the euphoria provided by their most dramatic promotion to the Premier League over the week, with Academy of Light graduate Tommy Watson shattering Sheffield United hearts in the 95th minute to book his side's ticket back to the big time after an eight-year absence.

The Black Cats finished fourth in the regular Championship campaign and headed into the play-offs on a miserable five-game losing streak, but left their woes on matchweek 46 to advance past Coventry City courtesy of Daniel Ballard's 122nd-minute winner at the Stadium of Light in the second leg of the semi-finals before defeating Chris Wilder's side on Wembley Way through late goals from Eliezer Mayenda and Watson.

However, even though Sunderland will be bringing top-flight football back to Wearside, they may still find themselves sweating over the futures of a number of prized assets.

Jobe Bellingham, who has been at the forefront of transfer speculation across the last twelve months, has reportedly made a verbal agreement to join Borussia Dortmund, which would see him follow in the footsteps of older brother Jude, after holding talks with Niko Kovac's side alongside fellow German duo RB Leipzig and Eintracht Frankfurt in the wake of Sunderland's promotion.

Jobe is not the only exciting young talent who could be on the way out of the North East, though. A recent report from Sky Sports' Keith Downie has claimed that Romaine Mundle is of interest to PSV Eindhoven and OGC Nice following an impressive breakthrough season in the Championship, in which the winger notched five goals and two assists from 24 appearances.

Sunderland are said to be eager to open contract talks with the 22-year-old, but there is little contest to the captivation he may well receive from the prospect of playing continental football and turning out in UEFA competition next season.

With that in mind, Football League World has taken a look at three replacements if the former Tottenham Hotspur prospect departs Sunderland this summer.

Jack Clarke

There would be a sense of irony at Sunderland replacing Mundle with Jack Clarke after the 22-year-old stepped up as an ample replacement following the winger's £15 million departure to Ipswich Town just last summer, but it hasn't worked out at Portman Road and a swift return to Wearside could be tempting.

Clarke enjoyed two sensational second-tier seasons with Sunderland after joining permanently from Spurs in the summer of 2022, having helped them to promotion from League One while on loan.

The pacey winger returned a combined total of 24 strikes and 16 assists from 87 Championship outings, and his haul of 15 league strikes in the 2023/24 campaign was enough to convince Ipswich to splash out on his signature following the Black Cats' disappointing 16th-placed finish.

It's also ironic that Sunderland have enjoyed their finest campaign in close to a decade after the departure of Clarke, one of the most talented and productive players to have graced the Stadium of Light in many a year, and his absence has not been felt as sorely as first feared.

But that's not to say Sunderland should not be keeping one eye on potentially bringing him back to the club this summer.

Clarke, much like the majority of the Tractor Boys' summer recruits, failed to deliver the desired impact at top-flight level and did not even score a single league goal, making just four assists, although he did start on only 12 occasions across 1,170 minutes and has not been a smooth tactical fit into Kieran McKenna's system.

Ipswich will likely want to recoup much, if not all, of what they forked out to Sunderland less than twelve months ago for Clarke, who has also been linked to PSV. There are question marks surrounding his ability to acclimate to the Premier League but he has proven himself to be just about as good as they come at Championship level, meaning Ipswich could well have designs on retaining his signature to spearhead a hopeful promotion push.

Sunderland, however, will remain in little doubt of exactly what Clarke can offer. They are, after all, the only club who have really been able to get the best out of the talented wide-man.

Zuriko Davitashvili

Under the ownership of French billionaire Kyril Louis-Dreyfus, Sunderland have recruited from Ligue 1 in recent years and could repeat that trick this summer with a move for Zuriko Davitashvili.

The 24-year-old, who currently plies his trade with Saint-Etienne, enjoyed a productive campaign in France's top-flight by posting nine goals and eight assists, having also impressed the season prior while playing for Bordeaux in the second-tier.

His efforts were not enough to save Saint-Etienne from relegation as the side finished second from bottom, but they will likely be enough to keep him playing top-flight football in 2025/26.

Daviatashvili is clearly too good to be playing in Ligue 2, and Sunderland should be looking to capitalise on exactly that if Mundle does indeed decide to move on.

Capable of playing on either flank, Daviatshavili is most comfortable on the left-hand side and would offer increased creativity from wide areas, while he also carries a goal threat and has real pedigree too, having already clocked up 46 caps and counting for Georgia.

Oliver Antman

The third and final potential replacement for Mundle could come in the form of Oliver Antman, who is fresh off the back of a remarkable debut campaign in the Eredivisie with Dutch cup winners Go Ahead Eagles.

Like both Clarke and Daviatshavili, the 23-year-old joined his current club just last summer, making the move from Danish side Nordsjaelland.

It was a low-key move at the time, but Antman showed what he was all about by emerging as one of the most exciting wingers in Dutch football by setting up 15 goals from just 32 appearances. His goal return of six, in what is a far less competitive division than the Premier League, may require some work, but the ability to carve out chances at will is certainly there and could leave the likes of Wilson Isidor and Mayenda licking their lips.

Antman will have no shortage of suitors this summer, one can imagine.

Sunderland will likely face plenty of competition, then, should they decide to set their sights on the Finnish international winger, but he could be a shrewd replacement for Mundle and, at 23, aligns with the club's philosophy of recruiting young talent with significant potential resale value.