Sunderland have been revelling in some positivity this week, after such a long period of uncertainty.
After appointing Regis Le Bris as their new manager last week, Sunderland went onto release their brand new Hummel home kit.
The shirt received huge plaudits and very quickly sold out on Friday, with confirmation that stock would soon be replenished.
While Simon Moore is currently the only addition to the squad, there seems to be a much better feeling around Wearside.
The Black Cats now need to keep that going with their transfer business though, as supporters could begin to get frustrated if they are forced to offload some of their key players.
One player who has seemed destined for the exit for the past year is Jack Clarke, who has attracted interest from half of the Premier League after picking up 40 goal contributions in the last two seasons.
Southampton pull out of Jack Clarke race
However, Sunderland may have been handed a boost in their bid to keep him as one potential suitor looks to have pulled out of the race.
According toThe Sun, Southampton will back away from a deal for Clarke due to his price tag.
The Saints were one of a number of clubs keen on the winger following their promotion, but Clarke’s £18 million valuation is putting them off.
It’s unclear whether other clubs will be prepared to pay his price tag, but with two years left on his contract, Sunderland are still under no pressure to budge.
However, if Clarke was to stay for a further year and still refused a new deal then they would have to sell up next summer, with his valuation likely to have fallen as he nears the end of his contract expiry.
Should Sunderland try to keep hold of the attacker?
Keeping the ‘brilliant’ 23-year-old for another season would probably be a risk worth taking for Kristjaan Speakman.
Sunderland are unlikely to replicate Clarke’s goalscoring ability with any new signing and keeping him around could give them a huge chance at reaching the top flight themselves.
The attacker may then be tempted to stay at the Stadium of Light, but if not, then the club may have the chance to sign a higher quality player in the Premier League.
If they fail to win promotion then it would be incredibly frustrating, but it’s whether they feel £18m this summer is worth losing a key player.
Clarke has so far seemed quite calm over his future, but if he decides to push for a move away then it could make life difficult for the board.