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No Town Clarke Bid - Ipswich Town News

TWTD understands Town have not made a bid for Sunderland winger Jack Clarke.

The Blues were linked with a move for the 23-year-old on Tuesday and as previously reported there is some interest.

However, we understand Clarke is just one of a number of left-sided forwards on Town’s list of potential recruits and as it stands not at the top with contact with the Black Cats very much provisional at this stage.

On Tuesday, it was reported that the Blues were preparing a move for Clarke, who the Wearsiders were said to value at around £18 million, although with other sources claiming £25 million.

Town are looking to add to their left-sided forward ranks this summer, a deal to sign Hull City’s Jaden Philogene having recently fallen through, the former England U21 international instead opting to rejoin his previous club Aston Villa.

York-born Clarke joined the Leeds United academy in 2009 and went on to make his first steps in senior football with the Whites in 2018, going on to make five starts and 20 sub appearances, scoring two goals.

His performances for the West Yorkshiremen led to an £8,500,000 move to Tottenham in July 2019, after Town boss Kieran McKenna had left the North Londoners.

Spells on loan back at Leeds, QPR, Stoke and Sunderland followed before the switch to Wearside was made permanent in July 2022, signing a four-year deal.

Tottenham were reported to have a 40 per cent sell-on from that deal, although we understand the percentage is actually 25 per cent.

Lazio, West Ham United and Southampton have previously been linked with Clarke, who scored 15 times and recorded four assists last season.

Overall for Sunderland, the former England U20 international has made 88 starts and four sub appearances, scoring 26 times.

Town are continuing discussions with Blackburn regarding the signing of forward Sammie Szmodics, 28, who TWTD revealed was in talks with the Blues a fortnight ago.

The clubs are understood to be edging closer to completing a deal but with with a final agreement still to be reached, despite negotiations having been ongoing since before our earlier report with Rovers having rebuffed a number of Town offers.

Elsewhere, former Town loanee Liam Rosenior has been appointed manager of Ligue 1 side Strasbourg, taking over from Patrick Vieira, having been sacked by Hull City at the end of last season.

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