Three strong reasons why Blues will not be battling league rivals for veteran strike ace
FORMER Pompey striker Jermain Defoe is currently weighing up his options as he chooses the next stop in a career that’s in its 23rd year.
League One sides Sunderland, Oxford, Ipswich and Charlton are all believed to be at the front of the queue for the 39-year-old’s services – all vying to make the most of the free agent’s status after his departure from Rangers earlier this month.
The former England international has bagged 304 strikes in the subsequent 583 senior appearances he’s made following his West Ham debut in September 2000.
So it’s no wonder he’s still attracting interest 10 months short of his 40th birthday.
Pompey have been on the lookout for a new front man this month as Danny Cowley bids to freshen up his attacking department.
This week saw the Blues swoop to land 25-year-old Tyler Walker on loan from Coventry until the end of the season.
By the way, the Fratton Park new boy’s dad, former Three
Lions centre-back, Des, played against Defoe for Nottingham Forest back in 2003.
However, there’s been no suggestion that Defoe – who scored 17 goals in 36 games for Pompey from 2008-09 – was or is on the radar.
Some fans might ask: why not? After all, four of the Blues’
League One rivals are supposedly keen. Four clubs that will have promotion aspirations either this year or next.
However, according to our chief sports writer Neil Allen, there’s three very good reasons why Pompey haven’t ventured down this particular route.
‘Firstly, Pompey couldn’t afford him,’ said Allen, when asked about Defoe and the Blues in his Q&A this week.
‘Secondly, he wouldn’t want to come back to Fratton Park.
‘And, thirdly, some of us have very long memories about how he couldn’t be bothered to play for Pompey at the end (of his time here).
‘He had a nasty cold and made himself unavailable to play in the FA Cup.
‘There was his awful performance at West Brom where he couldn’t be bothered, the penalty miss against West Ham and it was a horrible way how he left the club.
‘He had no respect for the football club. He’s a good player but there’s no chance of him coming back.
‘He wouldn’t come here anyway, it’s not going to happen.
‘He showed Pompey and continued to show Pompey complete disrespect, so we don’t want players like that here.’
Wherever Defoe ends up this month, any potential PO4 return in new opposition colours will be interesting to say the least.