Jack Clarke reacts to Premier League transfer interest after Sunderland's pre-season loss at Gateshead

Jack Clarke says he remains focused on playing for Sunderland amid transfer interest from top-flight clubs.

The Black Cats have turned down multiple offers for Clarke over the last year and haven’t been able to agree a new contract with the 23-year-old, who scored 15 Championship goals during the 2023/24 season and has two years left on his current deal.

Yet Clarke remains a prominent figure in Sunderland’s first team under new head coach Regis Le Bris, with the winger scoring a penalty as the Black Cats were beaten 2-1 by Gateshead in a pre-season friendly. 

When asked about transfer interest after the game, Clarke replied: “Obviously that interest has been there but it doesn't affect me. I'm still wearing a red and white shirt at the end of the day. That's what I'm focusing on. As long as I'm in a red and white shirt, that's all I'll be focusing on.

“I'm coming in every single day, wearing Sunderland colours every day. As long as I'm playing for Sunderland I won't be thinking about anything else. If things are going to happen then they're going to happen when they happen. I'm not focusing on anything else other than the present and in the present I'm playing for Sunderland.”

Sunderland’s squad was split in two for friendly matches against South Shields and Gateshead on the same day, with Le Bris looking to implement his ideas two weeks after his appointment on Wearside.

When asked about the defeat at Gateshead, Clarke added: “You have to look at the positives rather than the negatives. A lot of players haven't played for a while and it was good to get the minutes under our belt. With the new manager coming in there are things we have to learn quickly and try to get better as pre-season continues and hopefully take it into the season.

“He's only been in two weeks and we're still trying to implement things. We have a lot of boys coming back from loans and injuries who need to get up to match fitness pretty quickly. It didn't quite gel for us today but hopefully as pre-season continues we'll get more of an understanding of what he wants and we'll start putting in some better performances.”