Tottenham Place £6.5m Price Tag on Sought After Striker

Tottenham Hotspur have placed a £6.5m valuation on Jermain Defoe after learning of interest from fellow London clubs West Ham United and Queens Park Rangers, reports The Times.

Defoe has struggled to secure a regular starting berth in the Premier League but has been excelling in the Europa League where he has fired seven goals in just five games.

However, his only league start came in the shock 3-0 loss to West Ham and Defoe admitted last week that he was concerned that a lack of first team action could cost him a place in the England squad for the World Cup in Brazil next summer.

"Getting into a World Cup squad is based on merit and you have to play for your club," Defoe told the BBC. "As a forward, if you are not getting the chances, it will be difficult."

Tottenham boss Andre Villas-Boas has limited options in attack this season as he refuses to use Emmanuel Adebayor, leaving him with just Roberto Soldado and Defoe as the only other senior strikers available.

Spain international Soldado has yet to demonstrate his best form since moving from Valencia in the summer and he has managed to fire just four league goals in 11 games, with three coming from the penalty spot.

This has led to suggestions that Tottenham will look to strengthen their forward line in January, with Manchester United's Javier Hernandez and Corinthians striker Alexandre Pato both linked with a possible move to White Hart Lane.

Having spent heavily in the summer, Tottenham may well feel they need to cash-in on Defoe in January as the striker will have just one year remaining on his contract should he stay until the end of the season.

With West Ham desperately short of genuine strikers they may well feel that it is worth paying £6.5m for the 31 year old who spent some five years at Upton Park at the start of his career.

Should the Hammers and QPR both meet this fee then Defoe will have a huge decision on his hands as he will be desperate to gain regular game time and catch the eye of England boss Roy Hodgson, but must decide whether playing for a struggling Premier League club or a high-flying Championship side is better for his own ambitions.