Sunderland will be determined to make a positive start to the 2022/23 campaign when they face Coventry City on July 31st.

Ahead of this upcoming clash, the Black Cats have already managed to bolster their squad by securing the services of Daniel Ballard.

Manager Alex Neil will be keen to back up this particular bit of business by drafting in some more players between now and the end of the transfer window.

One of the individuals who has been linked with a return to the Stadium of Light this summer is Jack Clarke.

Here, we have decided to take a look at what we know so far about this speculation and assess whether a move is likely to happen...

What do we know so far?

According to a report from The Northern Echo, Sunderland are looking to re-sign Clarke from Tottenham Hotspur.

It is understood that talks between the Black Cats and Spurs have taken place with the Championship outfit pushing for a permanent deal.

Tottenham are believed to be weighing up whether to sell Clarke due to the fact that he has entered the final year of his contract.

Sunderland are currently waiting to see whether Spurs manager Antonio Conte is willing to include the winger in his plans for their upcoming tour of South Korea which is set to begin next week.

Is it likely to happen?

When you consider that Clarke has only made four appearances for Tottenham's senior side since joining the club in 2019, it wouldn't be at all surprising if he is allowed to leave the club on a permanent basis this summer.

Whereas the winger could be tempted by the prospect of re-joining Sunderland, the Championship outfit may need to fend off competition from elsewhere for his signature.

As per The Northern Echo, Sheffield United have made contact with officials at Tottenham regarding Clarke's availability.

In order to win the race for the 21-year-old, Sunderland will need to step up their pursuit in the coming days.

When you consider that Clarke has made 45 appearances in the Championship during his career, he will fancy his chances of making an immediate impact for the Black Cats if he does return to the Stadium of Light.