A huge European club are reportedly planning a double swoop for two Sunderland players at the end of the season, according to a new transfer update.
Sunderland transfer news & promotion chances
The Black Cats have recovered well after the dire 1-0 defeat at home to Hull City last month, at which point there was definite pressure already growing on manager Michael Beale.
Since then, however, his side have picked up two wins and a draw from three Championship games, with 3-1 victories sealed at home to Stoke City and Plymouth Argyle, and a 1-1 draw at rivals Middlesbrough proving to be a solid result.
Some important business was completed in the January transfer window, in order to boost their promotion chances, with Callum Styles signing on loan from Barnsley until the end of the season, whereas Leo Hjelde and Romaine Mundle also joined on permanent deals.
There is the threat of certain Sunderland leaving in the coming months, however, with Jack Clarke a wanted man throughout January, as the likes of West Ham and Lazio looked to secure the signing of him. He stayed put for the time being, but he and others could make the move away soon.
Clarke and Bellingham could leave Sunderland
According to Gazzetta dello Sport [via Sport Witness], Lazio are eyeing a double swoop for Sunderland pair Clarke and Jobe Bellingham this summer, seeing them as exciting options to bring in.
There is no doubt that this update is hugely concerning for Black Cats supporters, considering the pair are arguably two of the first names on Beale's sheet.
Clarke is having a superb season, wreaking havoc in attacking areas, scoring 14 goals in 31 Championship appearances, not to mention chipping in with four assists, too. Meanwhile, Bellingham may be overshadowed by his world-famous brother Jude at the moment, but his performances have been excellent for Sunderland, with six goal contributions (five goals and one assist) coming his way in the league.
Jack Clarke
14
Jobe Bellingham
5
Daniel Neil
4
Pierre Ekwah
4
Abdoullah Ba
3
Dan Ballard
3
It is only natural that strong interest in the duo is going to emerge, in truth, given their huge long-term potential, but the fact that both could move on at exactly the same time could significantly weaken the Black Cats. Perhaps their best chance of retaining both is to seal promotion to the Premier League, but even then that may not be enough.
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Should the pair move on to pastures new once the current season reaches its climax, it is essential that Sunderland receive as much money as possible, and they will feel that they can demand big fees for them.
West Ham were keen and Sunderland wanted £26m for Clarke last month, highlighting how expensive he could be, while Bellingham is still only 18 years of age, and is someone who could mature into something special over time if he threatens to get close to his brother's level, being hailed as "incredible" by Niall Quinn.