Southampton are not in the race to sign Sunderland winger Jack Clarke and may have to sell before they can buy in the remaining days of the transfer window, according to boss Russell Martin.
Saints have been linked with the 23-year-old, along with Ipswich Town and Leeds United, over recent days as they look to continue a frantic summer of transfer activity.
The club have signed the likes of Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Mateus Fernandes, Flynn Downes, Cameron Archer and Ben Brereton Diaz as they seek to make a successful transition to life in the top flight, but Martin insists there are no plans to make a move for Clarke, who Sunderland value at around £25million.
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Speaking ahead of Saturday’s home game with Nottingham Forest, he said: “He is a player who has played very well in the Championship over the past few seasons.
“We are linked with a number of players and some are miles away, some I’ve never even heard of, others have been one chat or a few videos.
“That position is not one we are light on numbers in at the moment; Ben Brereton Diaz plays there, we have other guys who can operate there, so it is not high on the priority list right now.
“He is a very talented player, his agent is a good friend of mine, they would know if we are in that race right now and we are not.”
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The window closes on August 30 and Martin is expecting to be busy between now and then – although he hinted he may have to fund any incomings by selling first.
“We have a full squad at the moment. We played 11 v 11 yesterday morning and today,” he added.
“We have had a couple of guys who have been in and out and they are not young guys, they have played hundreds of games, it’s only natural we would have to lose a few to bring one or two in.
“On the urgency of it all and how important it is, in terms of incomings and outgoings I would expect us to still be a bit busy towards the end.”
Saints were unlucky to lose 1-0 at Newcastle United last weekend, dominating possession against the ten-man hosts and Martin is hoping for a more clinical edge against Forest.
He said: “I enjoyed so much the performance against Newcastle because they are a difficult team, but my overriding feeling is frustration and disappointment at losing.
“If we can take the performance level we had, and take the anger and frustration at the result, then we can feel much better after this Saturday’s game and our first game back in the Premier League at St Mary’s.”
