Player demands £100,000-a-week deal and £6m signing-on fee

West Ham target Jermain Defoe demands £100,000-a-week deal and £6m signing-on fee

Jermain Defoe is a Free agent

EXCLUSIVE

BY JAMES OLLEY


EVENING STANDARD




West Ham target: Jermain Defoe has scored 15 goals for Sunderland this season Getty Images


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.



Defoe confirms 'free agent' clause ahead of Sunderland farewell


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.

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?


West Ham wait to hear if Zabaleta will join from Man City
“There would have been a decent price but we have not got that.”

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Hero to greedy tw*t in 24 hrs

Free transfer bangs in the goal s probably worth that

Its a free market, go for it Jermain........ Know your value

last few years, get as much money as you can Jermaine, don't blame you.

Thank God OGS is not still here. He would have gone for it.

Hero to greedy tw*t in 24 hrs

how ?
West Ham were prepared to pay Sunderland 6mill for him just 4 months ago. Sunderland knew the clause was there ,gambled and lost.

Hero to greedy tw*t in 24 hrs

Why?
If it's the going rate and somebody wants to pay it then good luck to him.

Hero to greedy tw*t in 24 hrs

Why?
If it's the going rate and somebody wants to pay it then good luck to him.

Agree 6 million for a proven premier league goal scorer is peanuts these days

That's a fair valuation on a free agent of his talent. It doesn't make him any less of a compassionate person because he earns big money.

This just shows what the game has turned into. All the money goes to players and agents and nothing to the fans again.

It will eat itself one day and then all the players will go somewhere else for the money.

up to him and agent to get best deal possible

Theae people that say he is greedy I always wonder what they would do in that position? I can get 6 million but I think I am worth 4 so I will ask for that or its greedy??