West Ham United want to bring Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe back to Upton Park.

Although they have signed Craig Bellamy they are prepared to go considerably higher to secure the services of Defoe who they sold to Tottenham in 2004 in a £7m deal that included Bobby Zamora moving in the opposite direction, says the Independent.

The sticking point is that Defoe, 24, is reluctant to return to his former club. The striker has a less than cordial relationship with West Ham's fans after he put in a transfer request within days of their relegation from the Premiership in 2003.