Kristjaan Speakman explains Sunderland sale of Jack Clarke to Ipswich
https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/s...explains-sunderland-sale-jack-clarke-ipswich/
.... There were a number of factors behind the decision to sell – Clarke had entered the final two years of his contract and was refusing to sign a new deal – but Speakman concedes a somewhat surprising lack of summer interest was a factor.
“It was the highest package we’d been able to negotiate and we felt it was the right moment to take it,” said Speakman, who is Sunderland’s sporting director. “I don't think we’d get anywhere near that value next summer or the following January.
“It’s difficult to get into details of the fee, you can never get the full details or the full picture and you don't want to make judgements on just bits of the picture. But on the fee and finance, hopefully supporters trust that we're good enough at running the club to make the right decision on things like that.
“In terms of why it was the right fee, rightly or wrongly, there was perhaps less interest in Jack than what maybe people perceived on the outside. It was not a situation where we had a large number of clubs sending in offers or making requests to speak to the player.
“So, you have to assess the market and where it's likely to be in future as a result, and then you make the decision on whether it's the right opportunity.”
“There’s a player element to it as well,” said Speakman. “So, last year, we had a significant bid, which was less than the one we accepted this summer, and we basically stopped the player from moving.
“Does the player want to play in the Premier League? Yes, but at the same time he was more than happy to continue his journey with us and came back and performed extremely well. When that opportunity comes back up again, I think it's difficult for the second occasion to say that we're not going to allow it again.
“It makes it really difficult to sign players like Milan (Aleksic) because if they feel there's not going to be that opportunity in future, the talent pathway would soon dry up. So, we had to understand where Jack was and what he wanted to do.”
Clarke’s absence has left a gap on Sunderland’s left-hand side, but Romaine Mundle has stepped up effectively in the last few weeks, scoring two goals in the last two games, while Wilson Isidor, who primarily plays off the left flank, is also finding his feet following his move from Zenit St Petersburg.
“Romaine has trained diligently and developed himself hugely,” said Speakman. “He deserves an opportunity to play and so far he's made a huge impact. That's really, really pleasing.
“In terms of recruiting externally, we're really pleased. Wilson has made in the region of 150 senior appearances, scored in the region of 50 goals across that period. We've definitely recruited someone who can and has scored goals, the question is of course whether he can do it here.”
