Sunderland manager David Moyes has insisted that Jermain Defoe is not for sale at any price during the January transfer window.
West Ham United have been linked with a £6m move for the 34-year-old striker as they look to entice him back to one of his former clubs, while Sunderland reportedly want to reduce their wage bill by offloading players.
However, Moyes insists that Defoe is "priceless", with his goals having played a major part in the club staying up last season and fighting for survival again this term.
"He's priceless, isn't he? There is not a price we could put on his head because he's so important to us staying as a Premier League club," Moyes told reporters.
"He's scored us eight goals just now and if he scores us another eight or 10 in the second half of the season, it will give us a great opportunity of staying up.
"We won't sell him, but we obviously can't stop people talking about it and writing about it."
Defoe has scored 27 Premier League goals for Sunderland since joining from Toronto almost two years ago.
Barney Corkhill
