Reports are circulating from the wires that West Ham United want to bring Jermain Defoe back to London and back to the club where he started his senior career.

According to the BBC, the Hammers have already made a £6m bid which Sunderland rejected but Slaven Bilic could return with a higher offer before the January transfer window shuts.

£6m-plus is a big fee for a thirty-four year old striker but it makes sense given Defoe’s record in the Premier League and his form in the last season and a half with the Black Cats.

Just like Zlatan Ibrahimovic at Manchester United, Defoe is proving that age is just a number. He’s still fast enough and smart enough to get away from his markers and get his shots away. Jermain also still has the composure to put away those chances.

Defoe has banged in eleven goals so far this term in the Premier League and is just three behind the league’s leading scorer Diego Costa.

Jermain Defoe has a total of twenty-six strikes in his fifty-three top flight appearances since the summer of 2015.

Looking at West Ham’s campaign so far and you can see the need for a proven goalscorer.

Winger Michail Antonio leads the way for the Hammers in the scoring charts with his eight goals, no striker in claret and blue has more than three league goals to his name.

Andy Carroll and Diafra Sakho can score goals in the Premier League but unfortunately both suffer from numerous injury problems and can’t be relied upon at the moment.

New boy Ashley Fletcher is still raw and finding his feet, while the signings of Jonathan Calleri and Simone Zaza haven’t worked. Zaza in particular has been a massive disappointment for Bilic and looks to be heading back to Italy this month.

Defoe would offer more experience up-top at the London Stadium and that could certainly benefit Fletcher as he gets used to the rigours of first team football in England’s top division.

Bilic would also be hoping that Jermain would also show a consistency in front of goal that the Hammers have lacked this term.

But can Sunderland even contemplate selling their veteran hitman?

Defoe’s eleven goals make up 55% of Sunderland’s twenty Premier League tally this season.

Victor Anichebe and Fabio Borini will offer something in the forward areas but they can’t give David Moyes the goals that Jermain does.

The striker has become a talismanic figure for the North East club and if they stand any chance of staying in the top flight then they need to keep him at the Stadium of Light.

Sunderland gaffer Moyes stated late in 2016 that he might have to sell Jordan Pickford if a big offer comes in.

The young English goalkeeper has really impressed for the Black Cats and that won’t have gone unnoticed amongst the top sides and their scouts.

But the two situations are completely different.

Moyes would only sell Pickford if he gets ridiculous money that could allow him to overhaul his current squad and bring in faces that could steer the club away from relegation trouble.

A fee of £6m, £7m or even £10m wouldn’t get you a replacement for Defoe and no club will offer £20m or more for an ageing forward. Jermain’s current deal runs until 2019, so they can sell him in the summer if they go down and he wants to depart.

I’m pleased that Jermain Defoe has managed to keep hold of his goalscoring instincts and is appreciated by various managers. It shows younger players that if they look after themselves and believe in their own ability then they can last into their thirties.

It must be nice to be a wanted man!

Posted on January 4th, 2017 by scott
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