What Sunderland's Jack Clarke and key figures have said about player's future amid West Ham transfer reports

West Ham are reportedly interested in Sunderland's Jack Clarke - following Premier League interest in the winger over the summer.

Burnley made an attempt to sign the 23-year-old but fell well short of Sunderland's valuation, with Clarke under contract at the Stadium of Light until 2026.

According to the Mirror, West Ham, who will be without Mohammed Kudus in the coming weeks due to Africa Cup of Nations commitments, are looking to sign another wide player, with former Tottenham winger Steven Bergwijn and Clarke on their radar.

Sunderland feel they are in a strong position given Clarke's contract situation and player's contentment on Wearside, with 12 Championship goals to his name this season. Here's what's been said about Clarke's situation in the past:

Jack Clarke

After his big-money move from Tottenham to Leeds in 2019 didn't work out, Clarke has expressed his gratitude towards Sunderland for getting his career back on track.

Following the Black Cats’ 3-0 win over Preston in May, Clarke told the Echo: "I’m just thankful to the manager for picking me and having faith in me, and for the club for bringing me here and giving me an opportunity to play and show what I can do. I’m very grateful to the manager and the club for putting so much faith in me."

When asked how he reflects on his time at Tottenham, the winger replied: “I only really think about where I’m playing my football at the minute. Tottenham is not really in my mind anymore to be honest. I went there, I tried it and it obviously didn’t work out for whatever reason. Now I’m fully focused on being here.”

Tony Mowbray

The manager Clarke was referring was of course former Black Cats boss Tony Mowbray, who was sacked by the club in December.

When asked in September if he was worried that Clarke would leave Sunderland over the summer, Mowbray said: “Not really. He told me that if the move happens it happens, he’ll take it in his stride. If it doesn’t happen he’s going to be happy at this football club.

“He said that to me so I didn’t have any fears. He wasn’t banging on my door saying ‘gaffer I want to go, what’s going on?’ He wasn’t doing that. He was saying if it happens it happens, if it doesn’t happen I’ll give you everything I’ve got which was good to hear and he’s continued to do that.”

Ian Harte (Clarke’s agent)

Former Leeds defender Ian Harte has worked with Clarke since the winger came through the ranks at Elland Road. Harte has gone on record multiple times saying his client is happy at Sunderland, despite interest from elsewhere.

“Jack is happy. He loves it at Sunderland,” Harte told The i in December when discussing Burnley's interest. “Obviously there was a club that came in over the summer to try and take him away.

"They put the offer into Sunderland, Sunderland declined and obviously Jack has to stay professional, he has to still go and put performances in and that’s what he’s done and that’s what he’ll continue to do.”

He added: “I’ve always said Jack is happy at Sunderland, he loves it at the club, he gets on with the group of players. I’m guessing Sunderland have a valuation, if that valuation is met then I’m sure they’ll be on to me and onto Jack saying ‘thanks for your time but it’s time to move on’ in the nicest way possible.”

Kristjaan Speakman

Speaking at Michael Beale's  introductory press conference last month, Sunderland's sporting director Kristjaan Speakman strongly denied Sunderland are a selling club after turning down offers for some of their star players.

“The football club has turned down numerous bids on numerous players over the last couple of years, and we have sold one player," said Speakman, referring to Ross Stewart's summer move to Southampton. "I feel it is a slight misrepresentation around the direction of travel and what the objective of the club is because, if we were a selling club, we would have made loads of sales - and we haven’t.”

On interest in members of the club's first-team squad and potentially selling players, Speakman added: “When players do really, really, well and they attract the attention of the Premier League outfits then naturally that is going to be a difficult moment,” he said. “But our ownership has been rock-solid around that, and I don't think we will be looking to trade players when we have that opportunity to get promoted.

“That’s always been our strategy from the start. That by-product from doing well does allow you to trade and one of the most efficient methods of getting to the top of our league, with more spending power to invest in whatever you want to invest in - facilities, people, players - is to trade players. But it won't ever be against our number one objective, which is to get promoted and grow the club.”