Sunderland have yet to contact Peterborough United over the possibility of making a move for their striker Jonson Clarke-Harris, according to Barry Fry.

The Peterborough director of football told the Peterborough Telegraph today that the Black Cats have not entered discussions with the Championship side over a deal for the 27-year-old.

A report from talkSPORT journalist Alex Crook yesterday suggested that Sunderland were eyeing up a potential swoop for Clarke-Harris.

However, in order to convince Peterborough to part ways with the striker, the Black Cats may have to pay a figure in excess of £6m.

Clarke-Harris produced some sublime attacking displays for Posh last season as he helped the club seal promotion to the Championship.

In the 45 appearances that he made in League One, the 27-year-old managed to find the back of the net on 31 occasions whilst he also chipped in with three assists.

The striker has been unable to replicate these goal-scoring escapades in the Championship during the current campaign.

Despite featuring on 19 occasions at this level, Clarke-Harris has only scored four goals for Posh who are currently 22nd in the Championship standings.

Clarke-Harris will be hoping to add to this tally when Peterborough face Coventry City at the Weston Homes Stadium this weekend.

 

 

The Verdict

With Fry revealing that Sunderland have yet to step up their pursuit of Clarke-Harris, it will be intriguing to see whether the League One outfit decide to test Peterborough's resolve in the coming weeks.

Although Posh will be seeking a considerable fee for the striker due to the fact that his current contract is set to run until 2024, the Black Cats would be foolish to match the Championship club's reported valuation of £6m.

Although Clarke-Harris may boost Sunderland's chances of achieving promotion, the jury is still out on whether he is good enough to play in the second-tier and thus signing him may prove to be a bad long-term investment.

By switching their attention to signing an individual who has the potential to thrive at a higher level in the future, the Black Cats may not necessarily regret missing out on Clarke-Harris.