Toronto FC and England striker Jermain Defoe is in talks with Sunderland about a return to the Premier League.

No announcement is imminent but Black Cats manager Gus Poyet is keen to strengthen his attacking options.

Sunderland are 16th in the table, one point above the relegation places, and only Aston Villa have scored fewer than their 18 goals.

Defoe, 32, has been training with former club Tottenham during the Major League Soccer close season.

After leaving English football last summer, he has scored 11 goals in 16 games during his debut campaign for Toronto.

He is 14th on the list of all-time Premier League goalscorers, with 124 during spells with West Ham, Spurs and Portsmouth.

Sunderland have won only three of their 21 league matches this season and collected just one point from their past four games.