Allardyce willing to sell Defoe

Sunderland manager Sam Allardyce has refused to rule out the sale of striker Jermain Defoe ahead of the January transfer window.

Defoe scored the winning goal in Sunderland’s 1-0 win at Crystal Palace on Monday but the former England international’s future at the Stadium of Light is far from certain.

The 33-year-old has been linked with a move away as Sunderland attempt to free up transfer funds.

And Allardyce was keeping coy when asked about Defoe’s future at the club.

“At the end of the day, whatever happens, happens,” he said.

“If I ring an opposition manager or football club and I want one of their players, what determines if that player is available or isn’t available changes day by day.

“There’s no definite players that we know of going out from here. In terms of a specific player, we don’t know.

“At this moment in time, we don’t know a definite player who is coming in, because we’re just starting to pull up who we think might be available.”