Jack Clarke may look at Sunderland with envy as Black Cats kick on without Ipswich man

Jack Clarke may have cashed in with his move to Premier League Ipswich Town but whether it turns out to be best decision in the long term only time will tell.

After a hugely impressive 2023/24 season at Sunderland, Clarke moved on as expected in a deal reported to be £15million with a potential for £5m add-ons. Clarke’s 15 goals and four assists in a struggling Sunderland side last season was the catalyst for his move to East Anglia. But he is yet to score for Ipswich and the Tractor Boys have yet to win a game in nine attempts.

Meanwhile, the emergence of Romaine Mundle at Sunderland has meant – and nobody would have imagined this – the Black Cats don’t miss Clarke and have succeeded without him in a big way. He may even be casting a backward glance with a tinge of envy at how his former club are doing without him when he was clearly the main man last term.

Clearly, the temptations of the money and playing at the pinnacle of the game was too much of a temptation for Clarke. According to Capology, not always wholly accurate, Clarke was earning a weekly wage of close to £17,000 a week at Sunderland.

Now he has gone well through the £1m a year mark on £25,000 a week. Clarke has security too, with a contract until 2029. But the football factor comes into play here. Clarke was the first name on the team-sheet last season on Wearside when he was fit.

He played in front of 40,000-plus supporters every other week and was adored by the fans. Leaving him out of the side was not even considered an option on a player that Sunderland looked to for goals, assists and creativity. He was the one player who excited the crowd.

Now he is a bit-part player in an under pressure side who, if history is to be noted, will likely lose their manager Kieran McKenna this season if results don’t improve. The fans won’t be showing quite the adulation of their north east counterparts. He is playing in front of home crowds far less significant than Sunderland’s.

The Black Cats are on an upward trajectory and have multiple players that now bring the crowd to their feet. Clarke would have surely liked to have been a part of life under Regis L Bris, as well as the wonderful atmosphere in and around the club the Frenchman has created. But he didn’t give himself the chance.

The huge irony is that if things continue as they are this season, Sunderland and Ipswich could swap divisions next term. That is a long way off yet and too early to speculate on but finding out will be the fun part.