Crystal Palace boss Sam Allardyce has joined the race to sign Jermain Defoe from Sunderland, while also reiterating his desire to land Liverpool defender Mamadou Sakho on a permanent deal.

Defoe is expected to leave the Stadium of Light at the end of the season following his side's relegation to the Championship, already seeing his name linked with a number of top-flight suitors.

Allardyce is also keen to thrash out a deal with Liverpool for the permanent signing of Sakho, who has impressed since joining on loan midway through the campaign, but the Englishman was less forthcoming when asked about another rumoured target in Burnley keeper Tom Heaton.

"If we are safe and Jermain Defoe is available, and he wants to come to Crystal Palace, I would be interested," he told reporters. "Until that time, when we are safe, I can't pursue that. When we are safe, someone else who is already safe may already have done it. Who knows?"

Asked to comment on reports linking Heaton with a switch to Selhurst Park, Allardyce added: "I'm not interested in who will come and go. When we're secure and safe in the Premier League, as hopefully we are, we can talk about all the agents ringing in with their players.

"I'll tell you if the agent is telling the truth or not."

Palace, who take on Manchester City this weekend, are currently six points above the dropzone with three games left to play.