JUST IN: Kristjaan Speakman drops a BOMBSHELL secret on why Jack Clarke was sold to Ipswich town… The Black Cats fans won’t stop fuming after seeing this.
Ipswich Town’s £20 million bid for Jack Clarke was accepted by Sunderland, with £15 million guaranteed and the rest in add-ons. Despite the sale being finalized just before the transfer window closed, Sunderland made no moves to directly replace the 23-year-old, though Wilson Isidor could potentially fill in on the left wing if needed.
Kristjaan Speakman, who initially commented on Clarke’s contribution to the club, has now explained the reasoning behind the sale. He emphasized that the club felt they already had the necessary players, particularly Romaine Mundle, to step up and fill Clarke’s role. Additionally, Clarke’s contract situation and the potential decline in his value with each passing window played a key part in accepting Ipswich’s offer.
Kristjaan Speakman on Jack Clarke’s Departure
Speakman also revealed that the offer accepted from Ipswich was actually lower than some of the bids Sunderland received last summer, including a substantial one from Burnley. However, Clarke’s unresolved contract situation meant his value was expected to decline, though the club did secure a 15% sell-on clause as part of the deal.
Speaking to the Sunderland Echo, Speakman explained: “There’s a business side and a player side to this. Last year, we stopped Jack from moving after receiving a significant bid, and he came back and performed well for us. When the opportunity came around again, it was difficult to deny him a move for a second time.
“From a business perspective, the offer was the most competitive we’d seen, especially considering his contract was running down. We also had to factor in potential risks like injuries. We didn’t think we would get a similar value in future windows.”
Many Sunderland fans were disappointed with the fee, but Speakman believes it was the best deal they could get at this point. “It’s tough to share every detail, but we made the decision based on the market and the potential future offers for Jack. Contrary to perception, there weren’t many clubs actively bidding for him, so we had to make the call on whether this was the right moment to sell.”
Romaine Mundle as Jack Clarke’s Replacement
Speakman’s confidence in Mundle stepping up to replace Clarke seems well-founded. In the two games since Clarke’s departure, Mundle has already scored twice, including a crucial winner against high-flying Burnley.
Mundle’s performances highlight the effectiveness of Sunderland’s recruitment strategy, as they had a young talent ready to fill Clarke’s shoes, proving the club’s approach to development and succession planning was the right one.