Tottenham are stepping up their bid for Sunderland striker Djibril Cisse.

The Guardian says Sunderland took Cissé on a season-long loan from Marseille last August with an option to buy but, after seeing him score 11 goals this term, they decided not to activate the clause. Cissé should return to Marseille, where he has two years to run on his contract, but he is determined to stay in the Premier League.

Tottenham have already made an inquiry about Cissé, as have Blackburn Rovers and Fulham, and Marseille hope to recoup most of the £6m they paid Liverpool in the summer of 2007.