Sunderland insist on record Jack Clarke fee from Leeds United as major Tottenham clause emerges
Sunderland are in no mood to negotiate with Leeds United on a compromise for Jack Clarke’s huge £25million price tag, according to TEAMtalk.
The outlet reported via their website on 19 August that the asking price is so high partly due to a substantial sell-on fee the Black Cats would have to pay Tottenham, thought to be as high as 40%.
It therefore may now have put the Whites off what would be a record Championship signing to bring the winger back to Elland Road.
Leeds United are attempting to replace Crysencio Summerville after the Dutchman left for West Ham during the transfer window.
Daniel Farke needs Leeds United replacement for Crysencio Summerville
It isn’t hard to see why the Whites would want to bring Clarke back to the club after a campaign where he scored 16 times and assisted for more for Sunderland.
That would go a long way to replacing Summerville’s award-winning output last term, but there is also now a pressing need to fill the gap left by Georginio Rutter in attack too after his move to Brighton completed.
Leeds fans appear to have got some positive news in terms of sell-on fees with the Frenchman’s £40m exit not requiring a percentage to be sent to Hoffenheim [Nancy Froston, 19 August].
But if a huge fee due to Spurs is preventing Clarke from being affordable it is more frustration in this transfer window.
There is now less than two weeks before the deadline and Farke is now hoping for four new signings to be made in that time [The Athletic, 16 August].
It doesn’t look like one will be Clarke unless the 49ers get extremely desperate, and the Whites owners are said to be aware that the chase for Jonathan Rowe from Norwich might not be successful either [TEAMtalk, 14 August].
Stoke City’s Million Manhoef is a potential alternative, but they need to move very fast now to get people in or Farke’s squad is going to be severely weakened from last term.
In other Leeds United news, Patrick Bamford looks certain to stay at Elland Road past the transfer deadline.
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