TFC want player back in any Defoe transfer
U.S. striker Jozy Altidore, Juventus’ Sebastian Giovinco among those linked to Reds
The clock is ticking on Jermain Defoe, and there are a lot of other moving parts for Toronto FC.
While reports focus on Toronto’s price tag for the England striker during the English soccer transfer window, The Canadian Press has learned that selling Defoe is part of a series of complicated moves designed to strengthen the MLS club on a number of fronts.
Toronto has several legitimate offers on the table for Defoe. But rather than a strict sale, it is looking at a cash-and-swap that would bring a viable striker in return and start a domino effect on the roster.
U.S. international striker Jozy Altidore of Sunderland is high on their shopping list.
The club would then use the cash to help pay for a creative, attacking midfielder — with Toronto identifying two possible marquee targets, both unavailable until July 1.
Toronto also has its sights set on Real Betis defender Damien Perquis, a 30-year-old French-born Poland international, while reports in Italy suggest an interest in 27-year-old Juventus forward Sebastian Giovinco.
While the transfer window does not close until the end of the month, Toronto is working on a tighter internal deadline with Defoe due to report to TFC next Saturday.
The team is exploring other trade options and has bargaining chips with five of the first 37 picks — including fifth, ninth and 11th overall — in next week’s MLS Super-Draft in Philadelphia.
Star midfielder Michael Bradley, like Defoe a designated player, is being kept up to date on all the moves and is involved in the decision-making. Should Toronto achieve all of its goals, it will need a DP slot come July 1, since the replacement striker and attacking midfielder would bring TFC’s DPs to four, one more than the maximum. Brazilian striker Gilberto is currently Toronto’s third DP.
There is a chance the league will institute some kind of hybrid fourth DP slot, which would solve Toronto’s numbers problems.
The 32-year-old Defoe is currently on a one-week training stint with Tottenham as he continues to rehab from a groin injury.
While more than a few Premier League managers have publicly mulled over Defoe and Toronto’s asking price, the MLS club has insisted that it will only move him for fair value.
Nevertheless, England’s Daily Mirror says Toronto has cut the price in half, from $10.8 million to $5.4 million. That contrasts GM Tim Bezbatchenko’s recent declaration that he expects a “market price” in the January transfer window.
January is traditionally a seller’s market. Reliable, experienced strikers are hard to find and, while expensive, their price tag pales in comparison to the money a team can lose by falling out of the Premier League.