Emmanuel Emenike wants England move but could Sunderland have advantage over Fulham?

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Sunderland were reportedly offered Fenerbache’s Emmanuel Emenike in exchange for Jeremain Lens – so Fulham could have a problem.

Almost as soon as the Premier League table began to take shape, it became quickly apparent that Sunderland’s hopes of survival rested almost entirely on the shoulders of Jermain Defoe.

With The Black Cats giving away goals for fun at one end, at least they could rely on the evergreen 34-year-old to take almost each and every chance that came his way at the other. And with Defoe in the midst of a seven game barren run, Sunderland’s relegation looks all but secured.

Therefore, reports in The Chronicle that Defoe has an exit clause allowing him to leave for free if and when the Wearsiders go down doesn’t bare thinking about. The veteran has scored 60 per cent of their Premier League goals and, with Sunderland’s debts restricting their transfer activity, they may find that the irreplaceable is, indeed, irreplaceable.

However, with one of the club’s reported January targets desperate to engineer a move to England, Sunderland could at least stumble across a handy alternative. Turkish publication Fotomac claims that Fenerbache striker Emmanuel Emenike has instructed his agent to sound out offers from the Premier League or the Championship with Fulham recently linked.

Slavisa Jokanovic’s Cottagers can boast the joint-second most prolific attack in the Championship but, with Derby County loanee Chris Martin seemingly unlikely to stay on a permanent basis, Fulham will need to replace him in the summer.

And 29-year-old Emenike, who has reportedly fallen out with Fenerbache coach Dick Advocaat, could replace Martin’s power and presence at the centre of Jokanovic’s favoured three-pronged attack.

However, The Chronicle reported in January that Fener would be open to offering Emenike to Sunderland as part of the deal to sign loanee Jeremain Lens permanently. The Nigerian international may not have scored a league goal during a loan at West Ham last season but, if he is available on the cheap, Sunderland should at least give him a second chance.