Jermain Defoe is seeking to capitalise on his free transfer status by demanding £100,000-a-week and a signing-on fee of around £6million to leave Sunderland.

West Ham and Bournemouth lead the chase for the 34-year-old, who is set to leave the Stadium of Light this summer as a result of a relegation release clause in his contract allowing him to depart for nothing.

Defoe is keen on joining another Premier League club and believes his record proves he can still perform at the highest level, having scored 15 goals in a dismal campaign for David Moyes’ side.

The striker also scored on his England recall against Lithuania in March and will be hopeful of retaining his place in the squad when Gareth Southgate names his travelling party on May 25 for next month’s double-header against Scotland and France.

The Black Cats turned down a £6m offer from West Ham during the January transfer window and Standard Sport understands his demands are related to that valuation and what he views as a proportionate wage.

It is also believed that Defoe’s agents are seeking a seven-figure payment in order to complete the deal.

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Bournemouth and West Ham are yet to indicate whether they will make a counter offer but the lack of a transfer fee is a blow to Moyes as Sunderland look to rebuild for a promotion push in the Championship.

Upon being asked about the clause in Defoe’s deal, Moyes replied: “I am very surprised. I would hope if I was a manager, I would not have had a contract which would have allowed somebody to leave in that situation. What price might we have got at Sunderland for Jermain Defoe, albeit at his age?

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“There would have been a decent price but we have not got that.”

