Jermain Defoe has gone back to America to join the MLS club Toronto FC, but, his future there appears to be far from being sure with reports coming through that he might be moving to England come the next transfer window in January.
The Rangers (QPR) and the Hammers are believed to have planned to bid for the veteran striker in winter.
Defoe, who signed for Toronto this year only, has delivered regularly in his debut season there in USA, but, his stats could have been much better if he had not missed matches due to injury. He has just managed to make 16 appearances so far.
Despite missing so many matches though, he is the Red’s leading goal scorer in the season which suggests how good a form he has been in.
Defoe, who is 31-year old at the moment, had actually been in England for some time receiving treatment on his groin injury that he had sustained last month.
The Portland Timbers are visiting Toronto this weekend and Defoe might be put on the pitch for a short time, probably towards the end, in that game.
However, Greg Vanney, the Reds man in charge, said in his interview yesterday that he was not sure about the striker’s fitness.
In the words of Vanney, “I will first have to see how Jermain goes in training. I cannot just rush him to action. He has to be prepared physically and that can happen only with more and more training.”
When asked if he had been speaking to Defoe while he was at home nursing his injury, the American manager said, “No, but, the other people in the group especially the medical staff had been having conversations with him on a regular basis.”