West Ham are interested in signing Sunderland winger Jack Clarke, according to The Mirror (via Football League World).

The former Leeds and Tottenham player is unlikely to sign a new contract at the Stadium of Light and the Black Cats could decide to cash in over the coming months.

Clarke has had a very good season, scoring 15 goals and providing 4 assists in 40 Championship appearances.

However, Sunderland finished the campaign in 16th place, having sacked two managers, and there is uncertainty about the future direction of the club.

There is a feeling that Clarke is now ready to make the step back up into the Premier League, having previously found life tough during his spell at Spurs, where he played just 4 first team games.

Clarke won’t be available on the cheap

The 23-year-old is believed to have an asking price in the region of £15m to £20m, which is a sizeable amount for a player currently plying their trade in the Championship.

With the Irons also pursuing Corinthians’ Wesley Gassova, who plays in the exact same position as Clarke, it remains to be seen if the London club will opt to sign the pair of them.

Reports in both the Brazilian and English media claim Wesley could cost between €25m (£21.6m) and €30m (£26m) so there is unlikely to be the requisite funds to sign both.

West Ham will have competition for the Sunderland star

The Mirror claim that Bournemouth are also very keen on securing the services of Clarke, while the likes of Brighton and Brentford have been credited with an interest in the winger over the past few months.

Combined with his price tag, there are a number of obstacles to overcome if the Hammers are to snap up the former England youth international during the next transfer window.