West Ham United are refusing to give up in their pursuit of Sunderland striker Jermaine Defoe, according to the Daily Mail.

The Hammers are desperately looking for strikers in the transfer market and have already seen their two approaches for the veteran turned down by the relegation-threatened Black Cats.

However, tWest Ham believe that the Black Cats can be forced to sell the 34-year-old striker if he submits a transfer request this month.

Defoe has scored 12 league goals for the Wearside club this season and David Moyes would be loathe to lose his main hope of avoiding relegation.