Southampton rivalling Ipswich Town for Sunderland star | OneFootball

Jack Clarke is thought to have remained on the Saints' radar, with Russell Martin seemingly keen on securing a deal for the player.

Southampton have retained their interest in Sunderland winger Jack Clarke.

This is according to Sunderland Echo journalist James Copley, who believes that Ipswich Town's interest in the winger is genuine.

The 23-year-old has been exceptional since joining the Black Cats permanently, managing to get his career back on track at the Stadium of Light.

Because of his success though, the Wearside outfit may lose him this summer.

Kyril Louis-Dreyfus and other key figures at the Stadium of Light won't want to lose the player for free, and with the player only having two years on his contract now, this summer could be the ideal time to cash in on him.

He isn't short of interest either, so it wouldn't be a surprise to see the player leave Wearside before the summer transfer window comes to an end.

Latest transfer update on Jack Clarke

Earlier this summer, West Ham United reportedly held an interest in Clarke.

But it's Ipswich and the Saints who are believed to be interested in the 23-year-old at the moment.

Depending on where Liam Delap plays, the Tractor Boys could definitely benefit from an injection of more quality and depth in their wing area, and the prolific Clarke could be an excellent addition for them.

The Saints could also benefit from Clarke, having seen the likes of Ryan Fraser and David Brooks leave St Mary's since the end of last season.

Copley.

That is a hefty fee for both teams, even though both interested clubs haven't been afraid to spend money this summer following their promotions.

Clarke's price tag has potentially been pushed up by Tottenham's sell-on clause, which is believed to be 25% rather than 40%.

Sunderland have a big decision to make on Jack Clarke this summer

Players can still be sold for decent amounts when they only have one year left on their contract.

However, it would be a risk for the Black Cats to not sell him during the summer window.

Not only could his valuation be limited in future windows because of his contract situation, but they may even risk losing him for free in 2026 if no club meets their high valuation.

In fairness to the Black Cats, £25m isn't a huge amount for someone of Clarke's ability, but you have to wonder whether they will make further compromises if a club bids close to that total.

Getting a sale done as quickly as possible may be ideal, because that would give the Black Cats more time to bring a replacement in and potentially address other areas.

But it may take a while for the Wearside club to negotiate a deal that they are satisfied with.

It will be interesting to see what happens in the coming weeks. If a deal can be struck, Clarke will be a big miss at the Stadium of Light.