Premier League's big guns are preparing to make a deadline swoop for Spurs outcast Defoe

Spurs are prepared to listen to offers for the England international, who has only two years left on his current deal and is manager Martin Jol's fourth-choice forward at the club.

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Chelsea have been linked with a swap deal involving paying £4million plus winger Shaun Wright-Phillips going the other way, but it is unlikely that this deal will go through.

Head coach Jose Mourinho has had a change of heart following the winger's impressive start to the Premier League season, where he has started every game while Joe Cole has been left on the bench.

Manchester United are also monitoring the situation following the retirement of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Manager Sir Alex Ferguson has only Carlos Tevez fit to lead the line at the moment due to the foot injury to Wayne Rooney, although Frecnhman Louis Saha is close to a return to the first team. Ferguson failed in his bid to lure Spurs striker Dimitar Berbatov to the club this summer, but is also believed to be a big fan of Defoe.

Porstmouth manager Harry Redknapp is also considering selling David Nugent to fund a move for Defoe.

Nugent, who joined Portsmouth from Preston for £6m last month, is wanted by Derby and Redknapp will be happy to sell him to use the funds to buy another striker.

He has ruled out using the money on Nicolas Anelka, while another reported target, Middlesbrough striker Yakubu, is expected to join Everton.

The Portsmouth manager said: "You need to raise money sometimes, you have to sell people who you're not so keen to sell because you want to get somebody else in.

"It's no secret that Derby would like to buy him [Nugent]. His old manager fancies him at the club, but we'll just have to wait and see.

"We are looking, we are trying, and if I do bring one in it would be a good one, that's for sure, it won't be just anyone."

Spurs are also interested in signing Portsmouth midfielder Matt Taylor and this could lead to the deal being back on after their £4.6m offer was rejected two weeks ago.

But one place Defoe is not interested in going to is Aston Villa, although he has made it clear to Jol that he will continue to fight for his place at White Hart Lane if the club don't decide to sell him.

Meanwhile, AC Milan are ready to battle it out with Chelsea for Ronaldinho if Barcelona put the striker up for sale.

President Joan Laporta has consistently told admirers that they would have to meet the £85m buy-out clause in the icon's contract to sign him.

The Italians are confident they will not be beaten to the punch by Chelsea in this transfer window, which closes on Friday, and Ronaldinho will stay in Catalonia.

Vice-president Adriano Galliani said: "It was clearly impossible to lure Ronaldinho in this transfer window. Our business is done for now, but we will have to see in future.

"I still believe that Barcelona may sell him at some stage. If they do put him up for sale then we will try."