According to Fabrizio Romano, Sunderland turned down Lazio’s offer for Jack Clarke.
Lazio attempted to negotiate a deal for the winger with Sunderland yesterday, but it was turned down. The amount that was provided was about £13.6 million, which is significantly less than the £25 million that Romano claims Sunderland is seeking.
Tottenham Hotspur received a substantial portion of any future transfer fee because of a 25% sell-on option in the player’s contract; the player was sold to them in 2021 for a price of £750,000. This season, Clarke has made 29 appearances in the second division, totaling 13 goals and three assists.
The team led by Michael Beale is adamant that the player is not for sale during this window and will not budge until the deadline next week. Although West Ham had expressed interest in hiring Clarke during this transfer window, they will also be disappointed.
With Alex Pritchard trying to force a move and telling the club yesterday that he was unavailable for selection, it would have been devastating for the Black Cats to lose another important player this late in the window. Tony Mowbray, the midfielder’s former Birmingham City manager, may show interest in him.
Sunderland sit seventh in the table, and are currently tied with Coventry City on points having eased to victory against Stoke City on Saturday. They’ll be wanting to keep a hold of Clarke this January to give themselves the best chance of making the play-offs.
Lazio are currently sixth in the Serie A table, three points behind a Champions League spot with a game in hand over Atalanta in fourth. The Italian giants boast players like Pedro Rodriguez and Felipe Anderson, as well as veteran striker Ciro Immobile, and will be striving to push themselves into one of the Champions League spots.
The 23-year-old forward is expected to be included in the Black Cats’ squad when they take on Middlesbrough at the Stadium of Light the following week. After their bid for Clarke was turned down last night, the Italian team has not yet made a second attempt, and it is unknown at this time if they plan to come back.
