Burnley have reportedly joined Brentford in the race to sign Sunderland attacker Jack Clarke in the upcoming January transfer window.

With the Black Cats, the 22-year-old has had a successful start to the 2023–24 season, sending the net tumbling seven times in 11 Championship matches as his team battles for promotion.

Last season, Clarke was a key member of Tony Mowbray’s squad that fell just short of returning to the Premier League. As Sunderland lost in the playoffs, the winger contributed to 20 goals in 45 games played in the second tier.

The former England youth international has played 61 times and scored 18 goals for the North-East club since moving there permanently from Tottenham Hotspur in the summer of 2022.

Burnley and Brentford, two other Premier League teams, are in a competition to sign Clarke during the January transfer window, according to Football Insider.

The report adds that the newly-promoted Clarets were interested in the player during the summer as they looked to bolster their forward ranks ahead of their return to the top flight following a one-year absence.

It is understood that Burnley’s fondness of Clarke was serious, and they supposedly made a bid worth in the region of £10m to Sunderland for the 22-year-old.

Despite a respectable approach, the Black Cats declined the offer proposed by the Turf Moor club, with the Championship side keen to keep a talent who was instrumental to their promotion charge last term.

Vincent Kompany soon moved on to focusing on the acquisition of other targets in the summer window, securing the signings of Mike Tresor and Luca Koleosho from Genk and Espanyol respectively.

It is believed that Burnley are still keeping tabs on Clarke, though, with another push for his signature pencilled in for the upcoming transfer window in the New Year.

The report also claims that the Clarets will face competition in their mission to bring the winger to Lancashire, with fellow top-flight side Brentford wanting to add the player to their offensive options.

 

Without Ivan Toney leading the charge, Thomas Frank’s Bees have had a challenging start to the current campaign, winning just one of their first eight games.

Burnley has only won once in the league so far, but despite losing three more games than Brentford, the Clarets presently hold the 18th spot in the rankings with four points after their first eight games.

Following the second international break of the campaign, the two clubs who are set to battle for Clarke will clash at the Gtech Community Stadium, where the Bees will host on the Clarets on October 21.