The Black Cats have been without a manager since the sacking of Michael Beale in February, and their search for his successor passed the 100-day mark this week.
Mike Dodds took charge on an interim basis until the end of the season after Beale’s exit, but he could not inspire an upturn in fortunes, and Sunderland finished 16th in the table, just six points above the relegation zone.
| Championship standings 2023/24 | ||||
| Team | P | GD | Pts | |
| 9 | Coventry City | 46 | 11 | 64 |
| 10 | Preston North End | 46 | -11 | 63 |
| 11 | Bristol City | 46 | 2 | 62 |
| 12 | Cardiff City | 46 | -17 | 62 |
| 13 | Millwall | 46 | -10 | 59 |
| 14 | Swansea City | 46 | -6 | 57 |
| 15 | Watford | 46 | 0 | 56 |
| 16 | Sunderland | 46 | -2 | 56 |
A host of names have been linked with the Black Cats job in recent months, including Alex Neil, Marek Papszun, Steve Cooper, Will Still, Roy Keane, Ole Gunnar Solksjaer, Scott Parker, Danny Rohl, Jermain Defoe, Rene Maric, Liam Rosenior, Paul Heckingbottom and Bo Svensson, but they do not seem any closer to making an appointment.
Sunderland suffered a huge blow on Friday night as it was revealed that former Reims boss Still, who was believed to be a long-term target, had turned down the job due to concerns over investment and the makeup of his backroom staff.
The ongoing managerial uncertainty will be a big concern for Black Cats supporters, particularly with speculation beginning to gather pace regarding interest in some of their key players.
Winger Jack Clarke was linked with Burnley, West Ham United, Crystal Palace, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Everton, Bournemouth, Leicester City, Southampton, Brentford and Lazio in January, and he is attracting attention once again this summer.
According to The Northern Echo, Sunderland are “braced for a formal approach” from Southampton for Clarke following their promotion to the Premier League, and seeing their star man move to St Mary’s would be particularly painful for the Black Cats.
Jack Clarke move to Southampton would be frustrating for Sunderland supporters
Clarke was undoubtedly one of the standout players in the Championship this season, scoring an impressive 15 goals and providing four assists in 42 appearances in all competitions.
The 23-year-old struggled to get back to his best after returning from an ankle injury in April, failing to register a goal or assist in the final seven games, but he was far from the only Sunderland player to underperform in the latter stages of the season, and it does not detract from what was an excellent campaign for the winger.
Southampton are said to be “long-term admirers” of Clarke, and he is viewed as a “key target” by the Saints this summer following their promotion to the top flight, which they achieved after beating Leeds United 1-0 in the play-off final at Wembley on Sunday.
Black Cats supporters may be resigned to losing Clarke to a Premier League club this summer, but they will be frustrated if he ends up departing for Southampton.
Sunderland will have gone into the season viewing the Saints as a promotion rival, and they famously beat Russell Martin’s side 5-0 at the Stadium of Light in early September.
That began a run of four consecutive defeats for Southampton, and by the end of that month, they were languishing in mid-table, while the Black Cats sat fourth after an excellent start to the season under Tony Mowbray.
However, their form after that could not have been more contrasting, and at the end of the regular season, there were 12 places and a huge 31 points separating the teams, and they will now be in different divisions next term.
The Saints have a history of targeting Sunderland’s best players, with striker Ross Stewart making the move to St Mary’s for a fee of £10 million in September, while they were also keen on winger Patrick Roberts last summer before he signed a new contract with the Black Cats.
Clarke is not the only Sunderland player on Southampton’s radar this summer, and the Saints have reportedly joined Crystal Palace and Brentford in the race for midfielder Jobe Bellingham, so they could deal the Black Cats a devastating double blow.
With no manager in place, it is incredibly difficult for Sunderland to convince their stars to remain at the club, and they look vulnerable to losing the likes of Clarke and Bellingham if they receive a sizeable bid.
Black Cats supporters would be disappointed to see Clarke join Southampton, but Russell Martin will be determined to finally land his man this summer, and after winning promotion, the Saints may now have the financial ability to get a deal over the line.
