According to the Sunday People (print edition, page 49, December 16, 2018), as mentioned by the Sunderland Echo, Sunderland are hoping to re-sign their former striker Jermain Defoe from Bournemouth. The same report has also claimed that the Black Cats have enquired about the English striker’s availability during the January transfer window with Jack Ross desperate to bolster his attacking options at the Stadium of Light.
Defoe has seen first-team opportunities hard to come by at Bournemouth this season. He has fallen behind the likes of Callum Wilson, Joshua King and Junior Stanislas in the Cherries pecking order, so it is likely that he would move on in search of more game time during the winter transfer period.
It will be a fantastic acquisition for the Black Cats if they can somehow manage to pull off this deal. However, it won’t be easy for them to convince their former striker to take a step down to League One football.
The 36-year-old has made only seven appearances for Eddie Howe’s team this season across multiple competitions but is yet to find the back of the net so far. He has also earned 57 international caps for the English national team throughout his career and has 20 goals to his name for his country.
At 36, the English forward is nearing the end of his football career so his next switch could potentially decide his last club. Even though he has lost some of his pace over the past couple of years, Defoe can still be a major goal-threat inside the opposition penalty box. He is vastly experienced in the Premier League and knows how to find the back of the net on a consistent basis.
The addition of Defoe will not only improve Jack Ross’ squad but would also give them a better chance of securing promotion back to the EFL Championship. The Black Cats currently find themselves in the third spot of the League One table, just five points behind the league leaders, Portsmouth.
Defoe’s goals could potentially bridge that gap at the top of the table so the Tyneside outfit should do everything in their power to convince the veteran forward to make a sensational return back to the Stadium of Light next month.
