Clarke spent the second half of the 2021/22 season on loan with the Black Cats in League One, and despite not making a huge impact during his short-term loan at the Stadium of Light, Alex Neil moved to sign him permanently that summer, signing a four-year deal on Wearside.
The winger had looked a decent player during his loan spell, but nobody would have envisaged just how successful Clarke would be for Sunderland after signing on a permanent basis, and it proved a remarkably shrewd piece of business.
Two years on and Clarke’s performances mean that he’s likely to move on this summer, but the Black Cats can rest assured that they’re set to receive a hefty fee should he leave.
Jack Clarke has been a fantastic signing for Sunderland
Since joining Sunderland on a permanent basis, Clarke has established himself as the team’s star player and one of the top attackers in the division.
In the 2022/23 season, Sunderland, an underestimated team, reached the play-offs despite having just been promoted the previous year. Clarke played a key role in this achievement.
Overall, the York-born winger made 50 appearances, scored 11 goals, and provided 14 assists, demonstrating why Spurs had signed him from Leeds United when he was younger.
Clarke showed significant improvement since his initial loan spell at the club, even with the higher level of competition. He proved this wasn’t a one-time performance with his form in the most recent season.
In his second full season at the Stadium of Light, the former Leeds player improved, scoring 15 league goals and recording four assists in 40 appearances. This accomplishment is even more remarkable considering Sunderland finished 16th.
| Jack Clarke’s 2023/24 Championship season – Fotmob | |
| Appearances | 40 |
| Minutes played | 3,504 |
| Goals | 15 |
| Assists | 4 |
| Shots | 112 |
| Shots on target | 47 |
| Pass accuracy | 77.3% |
| Dribble success | 59.7% |
| Chances created | 91 |
| Touches in opposition box | 331 |
It looks likely that Clarke could depart this summer and Sunderland can have no complaints.
It was a no-brainer to sign the winger permanently after his short-term loan spell but you’d have struggled to find someone who’d have thought that the Leeds academy product would do as well as he has done.
GET MORE NEWS HERE
Leave a Reply