Rumours: Jermain Defoe ready to move on from Tottenham for the MLS
Jermain Defoe is eyeing a return for England
Jermain Defoe is reportedly ready to leave Tottenham following a frustrating start to the season that has seen him struggle to break into the first team.
Defoe, who returned to Tottenham for a second stint from Portsmouth in 2009, has played 134 games in the last four years, scoring 47 goals.
Earlier this year, the 31-year-old scored his 139th goal for Tottenham meaning he took over George Hunt and became Spurs’ fifth highest goal scorer of all time.
Since the start of the current campaign, Andre Villas-Boas, who was sacked from his position as Spurs manager this week, chose Roberto Soldado as his number one striker, meaning Defoe has had limited game time.
The unsettled striker is said to be interested in a move to Major League Soccer side Toronto FC, who are struggling in ninth position of the Eastern Conference under former Tottenham central defender, Ryan Nelson.
Nelson told the Daily Mail: “To get a guy like Defoe for the MLS, I cannot think of many that are more suited. I think if you ask most Premier League teams, they would take Defoe.
“It would be incredible. I call him and text him all the time. Him playing in Toronto would be phenomenal.”
However, last month, the striker who has scored 19 goals for England denied wanting a move away and said: “Of course it is frustrating that for all the goals, I have not had much of a chance in the Premier League.
“Fans ask me all the time, but I don’t need to tell anybody I am frustrated. That is just normal. People know I love my football, and I love scoring goals. When I am not getting the opportunity to do that, it is frustrating.
“But I have never once said I wanted to leave this football club.”
Queens Park Rangers, West Ham and Newcastle are all said to be interested in Defoe, whether it be a loan deal or a permanent transfer.
Whilst moving to America may sound the more luxurious move for Defoe, staying in England is bound to improve his chances of breaking back into the England team for next year’s World Cup.
Defoe said: “I’ve heard links with Toronto and West Ham and as we get close to the transfer window you are going to get speculation. “It’s out of your hands, sometimes you end up leaving a club where you want to stay and sometimes you get in the team of a club you think you are leaving, you end up playing well and stay.