Jermain Defoe says that he's held discussions with Sunderland over their managerial vacancy.
The Black Cats are currently without a head coach following the decision to sack Michael Beale in February.
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Since then, Mike Dodds has been in the role of interim head coach while the club's hierarchy search for a permanent successor.
Earlier this month Defoe told local reporters of his interest in taking the job at the Stadium of Light, something that he has since doubled down on after stating that he's held informal talks over the job.
Speaking to the Sunderland Echo, Defoe said: “I've had no interview or anything like that.
"And like I said before when we spoke, I spoke about obviously the people that want to come with me and even in the background, certain players that I know that I can attract, young top players in the country that I can attract to try and get the club back into the Premier League.
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"I've had those sorts of discussions. So nothing's changed really, but I've not had an interview. I went to the Leeds-Sunderland game and just watched the team and stuff like that. So that's it.”
Defoe then spoke of how Tom Cleverley's journey into management with Watford has inspired him, saying: "He was on my player-to-coach course and I see Tom Cleverley getting a Watford job and someone who I played with and a young coach who had one year at Watford and now he's the manager of such a big club.
“So when you see stuff like this and that, you just think, ‘Okay then, I'm just still waiting for my opportunity’. I've read loads of comments. I know the fans.
"I think for a lot of people, they look at it and think, ‘Oh, it makes sense because of the relationship’. But I mean, we'll see what happens. I'm sure there must be about 10 or 20 managers who would love to have the Sunderland job, do you know what I mean? So it's a massive job.
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“So we'll see. I've not had an interview or anything, but I think they're aware that, obviously, I'd be interested in taking a job. Why not?”
Defoe is a Premier League legend having played for clubs including West Ham, Tottenham and Portsmouth during his career.
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This included two spells with Sunderland in which he scored 37 goals in 100 appearances, including two campaigns where his goals helped to stave off relegation from the Premier League.
His second spell at the club in 2022 saw him help the club to promotion from League One before hanging up his boots.