According to media reports, West Ham have seen a bid of around £6million for Sunderland striker Jermain Defoe. However, the Hammers are reportedly keen to re-sign their former star and boss Slaven Bilic has made the 34-year-old his priority signing in January.
Sunderland can ill-afford to lose the veteran striker. Without the diminutive star, the Black Cats would be cut adrift at the bottom of the Premier League table. With his 11 league goals, the side from the north east are now just one point adrift of 17th place Crystal Palace.
Defoe’s importance to the team was displayed in the Black Cats last game a 2-2 draw with title-chasing Liverpool. Defoe scored a brace of penalties to give the north east side a point, which could prove vital in the relegation dogfight over the coming months.
Sunderland have struggled for goals in the top-flight and have scored just 19 goals in the Premier league this season. The striker leaving could well be a fatal blow to the Black Cats hopes of staying in the Premier League this season.
Defoe scored the goals that kept Sunderland in the top-flight last season, as he found the net 15 times. While the team struggled for form, Defoe still scored goals and he has done the same thing this season winning his team vital points.
Boss David Moyes has received very little backing in the transfer market and seems unlikely to in January. The Scot would find it impossible to find a goalscorer of Defoe’s calibre to help keep the north east side in the top-flight if he was sold.
The striker would no doubt score goals for West Ham, who themselves are not quite yet clear of the relegation zone. There has not been much to celebrate for Sunderland fans of late, but losing Jermain Defoe would just add to the doom and gloom on Wearside.