This is why ex-Leeds man Jack Clarke is worth more than £10m amid Brentford and Crystal Palace links

I have a shocking admission for you: the first time I saw Jack Clarke up close and personal, I was slightly unconvinced.

Sunderland had signed the former Leeds United and Tottenham man in the January of last season in League One on loan from Spurs.

Lee Johnson was sacked, in came Alex Neil and it was all aboard the play-off train. Sunderland produced a superb run to finish in the top-six and I suddenly found myself stood outside of the Stadium of Light before the first-leg against Sheffield Wednesday.

I had been given the task of capturing some video of the two teams arriving for the crunch clash and I was amongst fans as Sunderland's stars pulled-up. I was also within touching distance of a very relaxed, slight and boyish looking Clarke as he signed autographs.

I thought to myself, 'He's just a kid! He hasn't got a clue what is coming and how robust and physical Sheffield Wednesday will be... this could be tough for him.'

Fast forward a couple of days and it was Clarke who brilliantly drove down the left-hand-side of the Hillsborough pitch to set-up Patrick Roberts stunning last-gasp equaliser to send the Black Cats to Wembley.

It was a real moment of quality from a big-game player in a pressurised situation. Clarke proved my niggling doubts wrong that night and he has continued to do so this season in fine fashion after re-signing on a permanent deal last summer.

No outfield player has played for Sunderland more times (45 games out of 46) than Jack Clarke this campaign with only goalkeeper Anthony Patterson ahead of him. Moreover, Clarke's form has been scintillating.

The York-born attacker has registered a whopping 23 goal contributions in all competitions (11 goals and 12 assists) including notching two past Premier League Fulham over two games in the FA Cup.

The 22-year-old is also one of only six players in the entirety of the EFL to have completed 75 or more dribbles in their respective leagues this season.

In all honesty, Clarke looks a Premier League player in waiting with reports suggesting that top-flight sides Brentford and Palace are interested. The rumoured fee has been set at £10million but this seems low for a player of undoubted quality.

For instance, Crystal Palace signed attacker Eberechi Eze three-years ago from Queens Park Rangers on a lucrative long-term contract with the transfer package reportedly worth around £17million after he produced numbers similar to Clarke during his final Championship season.

That transfer was three years ago now and with the money sloshing around the Premier League seemingly still on the increase, it is feasible that Sunderland could command a total package - including add-ons triggered by various factors - of double what Clarke is currently being rated at...

The club's recently released accounts also show that Sunderland are in decent financial shape at the moment. Obviously, the "model" will likely involve selling players (at some point) for a profit and reinvesting - but that does not mean that Kyril Louis-Dreyfus absolutely has to sell. Especially not for the right fee.