Sunderland have entered the final three weeks of the transfer window relatively undisturbed.
The Black Cats have loaned out Nathan Bishop and Jay Matete, but are yet to sell any of their players this summer.
The club have fielded plenty of interest in their prized assets though, with Trai Hume and Jobe Bellingham subject to bids, while the likes of Pierre Ekwah, Dan Ballard and Anthony Patterson have all attracted interest.
Sunderland look likely to keep most of the players they wish to keep, but the future of Jack Clarke remains unclear.
After heavy interest last season, it was expected that the winger may have earned himself a move to the Premier League by now.
However, after the Wearside outfit slapped a £25 million price tag on him, interest in his signature has gone cold.
Clarke took up his usual position in the starting line-up against Cardiff City, getting off the mark as he doubled the Black Cats’ lead late on.
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Clarke interest is completely ‘normal’
It could well be one of the attacker’s final appearances in red and white if a bid does come in over the next few weeks, but Regis Le Bris has insisted he still isn’t worried.
Speaking in today’s pre-match press conference, the Frenchman said: “Yes it’s not a problem during a transfer window. At the end, the club is strong and able to build a strong team with these kind of players. Jack, for example, is able to continue to grow here, to become a very good player in the Premier League – I hope with Sunderland. Because we have many good players and many speculations, it is normal, it’s not a problem for me.”
What does this actually mean for his future at Sunderland?
While Le Bris is obviously not going to admit that he is worried that his best player will leave, he does seem extremely calm about the situation.
Given Clarke’s price tag, it always seemed likely that interest would ramp up towards the end of the window, when top flight clubs realised they were running out of time to bolster their squad.
However, Le Bris’ comments don’t suggest that the 23-year-old is pushing for an exit, which is definitely a boost.
If the club do receive a £25m bid then Clarke will most likely be happy to get his move to the Premier League, but it will make life a lot easier for Sunderland if he is also content to stay.
While the Black Cats improved from last season over the weekend, Clarke’s goal did make it clear that they are still likely to rely on him to guarantee points.
If he does leave, there will be a mountain of pressure on Kristjaan Speakman to bring in his replacement, and even more so if he is left with only deadline day to do so.