David Moyes has called on Jermain Defoe to put the transfer speculation to one side and continue his impressive form for Sunderland to potentially become a club legend.
West Ham United made an offer for the 34-year-old earlier this week, thought to be in the region of £6m, but the Black Cats rejected the approach.
The Hammers have now turned their attention elsewhere, and Moyes believes that Defoe can focus solely on his football once again as he looks to build on a tally of 29 goals since joining the club two years ago.
"We have had an offer and we told them that he wasn't for sale," he told reporters. "It's come from the owner and we have said that he's not for sale. We have never asked for a second bid, we have never put a price on him, not at any time. He's really important to us, everybody knows that, and the club has already come out and said that.
"There has been very little said from Sunderland Football Club. The talking has all come from other people, not from here. He's here, and he's very much liked. In a way, he's in a real purple patch in his career, so hopefully he is enjoying it and he's steady with that.
"If he keeps scoring the goals at the rate he is, then he's going to put himself up there because of his goals and what he's done. This club has had some really good goalscoring centre-forwards over the years, so I'm sure Jermain will want to get in amongst that group and he's got a great chance."
Defoe spent five years with United in his formative years, before departing for Tottenham Hotspur in 2004 after handing in a transfer request upon the Hammers' relegation.
Daniel Lewis
