According to Dean Jones, Leeds United could re-sign Sunderland winger Jack Clarke if they are promoted to the Premier League, despite rumours surrounding Willy Gnonto and Crysencio Summerville.
Clarke was linked with a £20 million transfer to West Ham in January, but Jones has stated that if Leeds are promoted, he will be one of the players they try to sign.
Summerville and Gnonto, meanwhile, have been the subject of conjecture over their long-term futures at Elland Road, and the club will be anxious to keep them.
Jones told Give Me Sport: “It will depend on what happens with players like Summerville and Gnonto once the season ends.
“Leeds will be desperate for them to renew their commitment to the club and carry this through. This has been a challenging season, and if they can make it out of the league, their task will be complete.
“Clarke is the type of player they will look for if they return to the Premier League.
“The first challenge is getting back to the top flight and then figuring out what’s happening with Summerville and Gnonto and if they can keep those two.”
Could Leeds United sign Jack Clarke from Sunderland?
As Jones stated, Leeds’ objective should be to sign its existing talents to long-term contracts, both to demonstrate their devotion to the club and to safeguard their value if they inevitably leave.
Given the level of interest in Clarke, it would be surprising if he moved to Leeds, but the intrigue is undoubtedly there, given his quality.
The winger, of course, left Elland Road in 2020 to join Tottenham, before a series of loan spells took him to Sunderland, first on a short-term contract in January 2022 and then permanently that summer.
Clarke has since gone from strength to strength, and he is currently having his most productive season yet, having scored 15 goals and contributed four assists in the league despite uneven form and managerial changes at the Stadium of Light.
A return to Elland Road in the Premier League would be somewhat of a fairytale for the winger, making this transaction more likely than it otherwise would have been.
