Newcastle join Bournemouth and West Ham in Jermain Defoe chase with striker set to leave Sunderland this season if they are relegated
Defoe will go off in search of more Premier League football if and when the Black Cats are relegated after enjoying a starting place for England against Lithuania
NEWCASTLE have joined the list of clubs Jermain Defoe could join if - and when - Sunderland are relegated.
The Black Cats are currently ten points adrift of safety at the foot of the Premier League.
And Defoe has been getting interest from former clubs West Ham and Bournemouth in the top flight already.
But Toon boss Rafa Benitez is thought to be considering the diminutive striker as the perfect addition to the club's squad for their likely return to the Premier League.
Mike Ashley is open to writing the cheques for Spaniard Benitez over the summer and Defoe is seen as a logical signing, even if he does play for arch rivals Sunderland.
With the Black Cats near-certainties for relegation, Defoe will leave in the summer in a bid to have one last crack at top flight football.
The England striker has fired in 14 goals for his club this term in the league and clearly has plenty to offer, despite being in his mid 30s.
And he even got a call-up to Gareth Southgate's Three Lions squad, scoring the opener in their 2-0 win over Lithuania 11 days ago.
Defoe has captured the nation's hearts in his touching support of five-year-old Sunderland fan Bradley Lowery, as the youngster fights a rare form of cancer.
The 34-year-old journeyman has also been to the MLS in recent years, with a spell at Toronto.
But he pined for a move back to England and switched to Sunderland in 2015.
Ironically one of the best goals of his career came AGAINST Newcastle almost exactly two years ago when he volleyed the Black Cats to a 1-0 win.
Defoe appeared on daytime TV chat show Lorraine on Thursday, recounting the first time he met young Lowery.
He said: "The first time I met Bradley was amazing.
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"I came into the changing rooms and the mascots were there and there was this young lad who was ill.
"His energy was amazing. He was buzzing around.
"He ran over to me and jumped on my lap. From that instant moment, the bond started there.
"He is an amazing child. People talk about how he's changed me as a person."