Sunderland transfers: £20m-rated former Leeds United man tipped for Premier League move by Tony Pulis

Sunderland star Jack Clarke has been tipped to play in the Premier League with Tony Pulis stating that he doesn’t see why it can’t happen.

Former Leeds United and Tottenham man Clarke has two years left on his present deal at the Academy of Light amid transfer speculation. Lazio placed two bids for the 23-year-old last January after Burnley had shown interest last summer. Southampton are also said to be keen on a deal,

The attacker, who has scored 15 goals alongside four assists in the Championship this season and is rated at around £20million, recently returned from injury after suffering ankle ligament damage against Birmingham City at the end of February.

“In a football team, there are certain things that you need to have in order to be successful,” Pulis recently said about Clarke. “One of those things is a player that will take defenders on because defences are so well organised, so you need someone to create space and open doors. Jack Clarke is one of those players.

“I watched him at Leeds United and I think he's now more mature and is a lot stronger. He'll have a very good future but I don't know if Sunderland will want to sell him to a Premier League team this summer. I don't see why he can't play in the Premier League as he's a promising and exciting player,” he told OLBG.

York-born Clarke is represented by former Sunderland and Leeds United left-back Ian Harte, who recently revealed that a new deal for the player does not seem to be on the table currently. An initial offer was rejected after the player triggered a clause in his contract.