Jermain Defoe insists it was the lure of the Premier League rather than a dislike of MLS which was the motivation behind his decision to quit Toronto FC for Sunderland. The 32-year-old spent just one season in Canada before his move to the North-East earlier this month. But he has rejected claims that he was unsettled during the entirety of his time in MLS. Jermain Defoe says he joined Sunderland because a return to the Premier League proved too tempting . Defoe joined the Black Cats on a three-and-a-half year deal MLS side Toronto FC earlier this month . The 32-year-old has rejected claims that he left Toronto because he was unhappy at the club . ‘It was pretty simple, really. My time in Toronto, I enjoyed it. The MLS was a good experience and something that I thought at some point in my career that I'd like to do,’ he said. ‘But if I am being honest, I missed the Premier League, just that intensity, the fans and the football, basically. I just missed the Premier League.’ Defoe was linked with a move to QPR before Sunderland and Gus Poyet came in with an £80,000-per-week offer. And the former Spurs frontman says his respect for the Black Cats boss played a big part in his decision to head for the Stadium of Light. ‘Yes, there was a lot of speculation about me going to other clubs, but after the first conversation I had with Gus I knew,’ he said. ‘I played with him at Tottenham, and he was back there as a coach with Juande Ramos, so I have always had a good relationship with Gus. Defoe (left) was quick to praise his new Sunderland boss Gus Poyet during Tuesday's press conference . ‘He's someone I have always liked as a man, a good person and a good coach, so when I had the conversation with Gus and he explained how he wanted us to play, I pretty much made my mind up there and then, to be honest.’ Defoe made his Sunderland debut during last weekend’s 2-1 defeat at Spurs. There is pressure on the Londoner to score the goals which will keep his new club in the top flight, and he added: ‘There's always been pressure on me from when I was young. ‘When I was at West Ham, I came through young, then I signed for Tottenham at a young age, and you are brought in to score goals, it's as simple as that. ‘I think it's a good pressure. You have got to enjoy it at the end of the day, you have got to embrace it because I love playing football, I love scoring goals, and I always believe if I get the chances, I'll score. ‘It's not a case of thinking about the pressure too much, you have got to go out there and just enjoy it, just enjoy playing football and hopefully the goals will come.’ Defoe added that he believes he will score the goals to help the club avoid relegation this season . However, while that reverse left the club just a point clear of the drop zone, Defoe is confident he can handle the responsibility of dragging them to safety. He said: 'There's always been pressure, to be honest, on me from when I was young. When I was at West Ham, I came through young, then I signed for Tottenham at a young age, and you are brought in to score goals, it's as simple as that. 'I think it's a good pressure. You have got to enjoy it at the end of the day, you have got to embrace it because at the end of the day, I love playing football, I love scoring goals, and I always believe if I get the chances, I'll score. 'It's not a case of thinking about the pressure too much, you have got to go out there and just enjoy it, just enjoy playing football and hopefully the goals will come.' Defoe made his Sunderland debut in their 2-1 defeat at former side Tottenham on Saturday .
Jermain Defoe joined Sunderland from MLS side Toronto FC this month .
32-year-old made his Black Cats debut in a 2-1 defeat at Tottenham .
Sunderland sit 16th in the Premier League  with 20 points after 22 games .
Jermain Defoe insists it was the lure of the Premier League rather than a dislike of MLS which was the motivation behind his decision to quit Toronto FC for Sunderland. The 32-year-old spent just one season in Canada before his move to the North-East earlier this month. But he has rejected claims that he was unsettled during the entirety of his time in MLS. Jermain Defoe says he joined Sunderland because a return to the Premier League proved too tempting . Defoe joined the Black Cats on a three-and-a-half year deal MLS side Toronto FC earlier this month . The 32-year-old has rejected claims that he left Toronto because he was unhappy at the club . ‘It was pretty simple, really. My time in Toronto, I enjoyed it. The MLS was a good experience and something that I thought at some point in my career that I'd like to do,’ he said. ‘But if I am being honest, I missed the Premier League, just that intensity, the fans and the football, basically. I just missed the Premier League.’ Defoe was linked with a move to QPR before Sunderland and Gus Poyet came in with an £80,000-per-week offer. And the former Spurs frontman says his respect for the Black Cats boss played a big part in his decision to head for the Stadium of Light. ‘Yes, there was a lot of speculation about me going to other clubs, but after the first conversation I had with Gus I knew,’ he said. ‘I played with him at Tottenham, and he was back there as a coach with Juande Ramos, so I have always had a good relationship with Gus. Defoe (left) was quick to praise his new Sunderland boss Gus Poyet during Tuesday's press conference . ‘He's someone I have always liked as a man, a good person and a good coach, so when I had the conversation with Gus and he explained how he wanted us to play, I pretty much made my mind up there and then, to be honest.’ Defoe made his Sunderland debut during last weekend’s 2-1 defeat at Spurs. There is pressure on the Londoner to score the goals which will keep his new club in the top flight, and he added: ‘There's always been pressure on me from when I was young. ‘When I was at West Ham, I came through young, then I signed for Tottenham at a young age, and you are brought in to score goals, it's as simple as that. ‘I think it's a good pressure. You have got to enjoy it at the end of the day, you have got to embrace it because I love playing football, I love scoring goals, and I always believe if I get the chances, I'll score. ‘It's not a case of thinking about the pressure too much, you have got to go out there and just enjoy it, just enjoy playing football and hopefully the goals will come.’ Defoe added that he believes he will score the goals to help the club avoid relegation this season . However, while that reverse left the club just a point clear of the drop zone, Defoe is confident he can handle the responsibility of dragging them to safety. He said: 'There's always been pressure, to be honest, on me from when I was young. When I was at West Ham, I came through young, then I signed for Tottenham at a young age, and you are brought in to score goals, it's as simple as that. 'I think it's a good pressure. You have got to enjoy it at the end of the day, you have got to embrace it because at the end of the day, I love playing football, I love scoring goals, and I always believe if I get the chances, I'll score. 'It's not a case of thinking about the pressure too much, you have got to go out there and just enjoy it, just enjoy playing football and hopefully the goals will come.' Defoe made his Sunderland debut in their 2-1 defeat at former side Tottenham on Saturday .
Premier League proved too tempting . Defoe joined the Black Cats on a three-and-a-half year deal MLS side Toronto FC earlier this month . The Defoe made his Sunderland debut during last his Sunderland debut in their 2-1 defeat at