Another report today links Spurs with Sunderland’s Asamoah Gyan, though this time Sunderland are being suggested as the prime movers.

The Daily Mail suggests that Sunderland are keen on Spurs striker Jermain Defoe and that manager Steve Bruce could be ready to offer Gyan in part-exchange.

Sunderland signed Gyan from French side Rennes last season for a fee of £13 million but Bruce would be prepared to get his money back for Gyan whose season tailed off towards the end after a promising start.

Defoe is valued at around £8 million by Spurs and he is one of three players Sunderland are interested in along with Roman Pavlyuchenko and Peter Crouch. Spurs boss Harry Redknapp is reported to have asked for Gyan last month as part of any deal that would see Crouch go to the Stadium Of Light. Gyan said at the time he was flattered by the link with Spurs although he later told reporters in Ghana that he was fully committed to Sunderland.