Sunderland are continuing to work on a deadline day deal to bring Jermain Defoe back to Wearside - but as yet nothing has been agreed.
Multiple outlets are claiming that the deal has already been done, but there has been no official confirmation and sources within the club say that no agreement has been reached.
The Black Cats have been in talks with the 39-year-old free agent for at least a fortnight, with former head coach Lee Johnson confirming there had been contact between club and player.
Johnson was understood to harbour reservations about bringing in Defoe, who has played only nine minutes of football this season, and consistently said that the deal would only happen if it was right for all parties.
But Johnson was sacked last night in the wake of Sunderland's 6-0 defeat at Bolton, and that has left sporting director Kristjaan Speakman to work on the deal.
Defoe left his role as player-coach at Rangers earlier this month and is a free agent, meaning he can sign for a new club beyond tonight's 11pm transfer deadline.
If Defoe does join Sunderland, he will return to the club four-and-a-half years after he left Wearside following Sunderland's relegation from the Premier League in 2017.
Defoe's first stint at Sunderland began seven years ago this month when joined the club from MLS club Toronto FC in a swap deal which saw USA international Jozy Altidore move in the opposite direction.
He scored 37 goals in 93 appearances in all competitions for a side that was constantly battling relegation.
He was the club's top scorer in each of his two full seasons on Wearside, scoring 15 Premier League goals in each of those campaigns.
When Sunderland were relegated in 2017, he left to join Bournemouth and after three years on the South Coast he moved north of the Border to Rangers.
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