SUNDERLAND transfer target Trevor Sinclair turned up the heat on Premiership basement-dwellers West Ham United yesterday by asking for a transfer.

And Wearside boss Peter Reid, who has had a bid of around £6m turned down for the England B international, is expected to increase his offer this week in a bid to sign the 28-year-old winger in time for Saturday's sell-out home game against Manchester United.

A deal for Sinclair could go some way to satisfying striker Kevin Phillips, who has told the club that they must strengthen the squad in order to satisfy his hunger for domestic and European success.

Phillips admitted: "We need to be signing big names quickly and showing the right signals.

"At the moment we're a couple of signings away from getting the balance right."

Reid, desperate to fill a void on the right side of his midfield, has had Sinclair at the top of his wanted list for most of the season and tried to sign the player as part of the £5m deal which took Scottish international Don Hutchison to Upton Park last month.

But Hammers boss Glenn Roeder has steadfastly rejected Reid's overtures, turning down a firm cash bid which would have set a new club transfer record for Sunderland, beating the £4.5m paid to Chelsea for Brazilian defender Emerson Thome.

Sinclair, however, has been growing increasingly unhappy with the form of West Ham, currently lying third bottom of the table on the same points - five - as Ipswich, Derby and Leicester, and his request for a move could weaken Roeder's resolve to hang on to an unhappy player.

But last night the Hammers refused Sinclair permission to talk to any club in a bid to try to persuade him his future remains in east London.

Newcastle chief Bobby Robson was on the receiving end of Roeder's fury during the summer when he made a written offer for Sinclair and he could be alerted to the latest developments.

Sinclair said: "After a series of discussions and meetings in which I have voiced my growing discontent, I have today submitted a written transfer request.

''I feel that given the club's current state of transition following the change in manager and the sale of several key players, my ambitions at this stage of my career are more likely to be fulfilled elsewhere.

"I think a fresh challenge as part of a new playing environment will help my performance level in this incredibly important season.''

Phillips has revealed his disappointment at the club's failure to qualify for Europe and claimed the club must start to match his personal ambitions.

"I must emphasise the time has come for Sunderland to start delivering," he said.

"I've fulfilled my ambition of playing in the Premiership and wearing the colours of my country, but I've got to the stage of my career where I need to be winning trophies.

"Personal accolades are fantastic and I'm proud of what I've achieved here but I'll be 29 next year and I want to be playing in the big games and test myself in European competition.

"Watching Ipswich against Torpedo Moscow I couldn't help but feel it should have been me out there."