West Ham are apparently interested in signing Sunderland striker Jermain Defoe in January
The Hammers are keen to sign the Sunderland man in January, 13 years after he left the club for rivals Tottenham.
Slaven Bilic has claimed several of his squad have openly expressed their positive views on the diminutive forward who has found the net eight times this season.
And he has hinted a move to West Ham could be on as Defoe meets his criteria for new players.
"He's a very good player," said Bilic. "Defoe is scoring goals and that is important.
"I have a few midfielders from different countries telling me his movement is the best of strikers they have played with. But he's someone else's player so I don't want to talk about it."
Up in the north-East a few hours later, Sunderland boss David Moyes shrugged off the speculation and insisted Defoe will not be leaving the Stadium of Light next month.
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Slaven Bilic could move for Defoe in the winter window
"I'm comfortable with other people talking about him," said Moyes. "His stats show he's something like the best British goalscorer this year, so it's going to happen. I would expect people to be paying attention.
"But I've never had contact from anybody. He doesn't go. He's under contract and he stays here. It's the biggest thing for us.
"We need him to score the goals. I don't have to talk to him about it, there's no need for him. He has an affinity for this club and we need his goals, he's vital to us.
"That's probably why we've climbed the table. Victor Anichebe has improved us and Jordan Pickford's goalkeeping has been brilliant, but Jermain's goalscoring is key and there's hardly a team in the Premier League that wouldn't want him and his goals.
"Because he's under contract this year and next year and signed a new contract in the summer, there's no need to look at it. There's no need for us to talk or worry about it.
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David Moyes insists Defoe will be going nowhere in January
"His goals will be vital and it's something we have to our advantage - someone who is a real good goalscorer, reliable, tends to get his goals through the season.
"And that's where one or two other teams around us might not have that sort of striker and we have to use him, get the ball to him and get the ball to him in the right areas as often as we can."
Moyes' point that Defoe is British struck a chord with Bilic, who admitted he wants a homegrown flavour to any of his transfer window acquisitions.
"English and British players have priority as this is an English club," said the Hammers boss. "This league is the most difficult. Even the great players need time to settle in. That is why we are looking for players who play in this league, then the risk is lower.
"You want players to be young, cheap, be scoring goals, have experience in the Premier League, be handsome! If we find someone who can tick most of the boxes - apart from the handsome one - we will do it."
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Bilic is ready for a tough month dealing with the hyperbolic middlemen attempting to ensure West Ham part with their cash.
"You have the agents calling," he said. "You are bombarded with names and everything.
"When you talk to them, everybody is like Messi or whatever. They are also very cheap, dying to come, and they have a little West Ham tattoo.
"The good thing about these phones is that you can put them on silent. So after a few hours you see you have 15 or 20 missed calls but then again it's up to you to answer or call them or whatever.
"If we were talking about getting players then you cannot get them without agents. So you can't say I don't want to talk to them, because then you will not get the players.
"At least you know it is going to last for only another 20 days and then you are at peace for half-a-year."