SUNDERLAND’S perilous position at the foot of the Premier League table with ten matches remaining should not put young English prospects off a move to Wearside this summer.

That is the strong claim from Black Cats boss David Moyes after an international break when two of his prize assets have shown they can still be on the England radar by calling the Stadium of Light home.

Jermain Defoe made his return to then international stage after an incredible run of form for Sunderland, having scored 14 goals at club level this season to remind everyone of his predatory qualities in the box.

And Defoe’s goalscoring return to the England set-up, when he scored the opener against Lithuania last Sunday, has led to enormous praise across the country and increased the chances of him playing at next year’s World Cup.

Pickford, the 23-year-old goalkeeper, was also on Under-21s duty for his country during the break and his performances earned him a call-up to Gareth Southgate’s senior squad last November. He also has Champions League clubs weighing up a move for him in the summer.

Moyes said: “All I am thinking about is Sunderland staying up. I have no interest in World Cups. But I think it is an indication to all young English players out there, not playing for their first teams, that if they come to Sunderland – like Jordan Pickford, Jermain Defoe – you can go on to become an England international if you play games.

“There’s an awful lot of young players who are not playing games for English teams. Jermain has done great as has Jordan as well.”

He added: “I also hope it makes English players out on loan at an English club right now that if you come to Sunderland you can play for England. Even an old player can resurrect their career here.

“Jordan Henderson left not too long ago and more importantly Jordan Pickford, and now Jermain Defoe as well. I always thought having England internationals in your squad was a sign of where your club was.

“At Everton when I first went we had no England internationals then Wayne Rooney got in and we grew from there. It's something you try to do.”

The biggest question in the summer will be whether Sunderland can keep Defoe and Pickford in the North-East if Moyes is unsuccessful in his battle to keep the club up.

Defoe, in particular, is running out of years playing at the highest level and has made no secret of his wish to play at next year’s World Cup.

Playing in the top-flight could be crucial to his cause, while there is also understood to be a clause in his contract allowing him to leave for nothing if they go down.

Moyes said: “What I will confirm is that we are fighting to stay in the Premier League, only if something else happens would we then talk about what’s in people’s contracts and what not.

“We need Jermain in top form but we need other people in top form as well. It is not just about Jermain, it’s about the rest as well. We need Jermain’s goals, we need people to help him to score those goals and help create those goals.”

But the Sunderland boss, who had not worked with Defoe before, has been hugely impressed by how the former Tottenham man has gone about his business during a difficult season – and he has led by example.

Moyes said: "He's had a really positive impact with a lot of the younger players, because he does spend time talking to them. If they see how he's lived and what he's doing he's had a great career, never mind this part of his career.

“I think they see he's a non-drinker, he's eating well but what he's trying to do is to maintain his career for as long as he can. He's scoring goals regularly in the Premier League, and that says a lot for him.

"For many of the young players, it's great that they can see how he's working, the biggest thing for me is that he trains every day. Now and again we have to ask him not to do quite as much because of his age but he's not somebody who misses training. Nowadays there are too many players who miss training, Jermain trains every day.”