Transfer Centre

Jermain Defoe happy to be linked with return to West Ham United

By Daniel Lewis, Senior Reporter | 30 December 2016

Jermain Defoe says that transfer talk is "just part and parcel" of football, amid suggestions that West Ham United are looking to sign him from Sunderland.

Sunderland striker Jermain Defoe has admitted that it is a "good feeling" to be linked with a return to West Ham United, as it means he is doing enough to earn praise.

The 34-year-old already has eight goals in 18 outings for the struggling Black Cats this term, leading to talk of a switch to former club West Ham in the January window.

Defoe, who returned to the Premier League with Sunderland in 2015 after a stint in Major League Soccer, is happy to contend with the talk and is confident that he will continue to score goals at the highest level.

"There's going to be speculation because, let's be honest, the people that score goals are wanted," he told Sky Sports News. "Over the years, anyone that has scored goals has been talked about in terms of moving to different clubs.

"I think it's just part and parcel. The players don't really get involved; you just get your head down and you play football. It's a good feeling to be wanted but when you're playing well and scoring goals then you must be enjoying being at the place you're at.

"I think [the game] has changed now with the sports science and what we have now, you can play for as long as you want. I'd rather be in a league where you play a lot of games in a short space of time because if you're feeling sharp and scoring goals you just want to be playing."

Defoe, who found the net 41 times in 105 games for West Ham between 1999 and 2004, recently became the Premier League's seventh top scorer of all time.