SUNDERLAND winger Jack Clarke is being watched by Crystal Palace — in case Wilfried Zaha leaves.
Palace fancied left-sided Clarke, 22, when he was a teenager at Leeds — and saw him in dazzling form against Hull on Friday.
Crystal Palace star Wilfried Zaha’s contract runs out in June
Crystal Palace eye Sunderland star Jack Clarke as Zaha’s replacement
Clarke had an unsuccessful stint at Tottenham where he struggled for minutes
The winger started out at the Elland Road academy and earned a senior call-up in 2018.
The England Under-20 international amassed a total of two goals and two assists in 28 appearances with the Whites.
That led the versatile forward, who can also play as a left midfielder, attacking midfielder as well as a centre-forward, to Tottenham just a year later.
However, Clarke struggled to break into the senior squad as he only managed a mere four appearances across all competitions.
He was loaned back to Leeds before also undergoing temporary stints at Queens Park Rangers, Stoke and finally Sunderland.
The youngster finally found his new home at the Black Cats, who signed him on a permanent deal in July.
Clarke has since risen to prominence with a total of 10 goals and nine assists in 42 appearances this season.
Zaha‘s contract with Palace comes to an end in June and there are no signs he will put pen to paper on a new deal.
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Palace initially feared the winger had played his last ever match at Selhurst Park after leaving the pitch in tears last Saturday against Leicester following a groin injury.
But scans since have shown that the damage is not as bad as first feared, with the club expecting the Ivory Coast international to be sidelined for around three weeks.
That means the 30-year-old could return for their London derby against West Ham on April 29.
