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Jermain Defoe would have been Tottenham Hotspur’s best possible striker solution

Mathew Nash

Wed 23 January 2019 10:45, UK

Tottenham Hotspur have been linked with a number of different strikers this week. With Harry Kane’s injury, there appears to be a growing need for Spurs to bring in better back-up in that area. The likes of Andy Carroll, Giuseppe Rossi and Nikola Kalinic are just some of the names linked with a move to Spurs.

However, if Kane had picked up this injury on the first day of January, there is probably only one striking loan option Tottenham would have considered. One of the club’s record scorers was stewing away on the bench at a Premier League side. That player was Jermain Defoe.

Defoe has spent three previous spells at Tottenham. His record of 143 goals in 360 appearances for the club is fairly imposing. It also puts him sixth in the all-time Tottenham Hotspur scoring charts.

Whilst he may now be 36-years-old it was only in March 2017 his performances with struggling Sunderland were considered good enough to earn him an England recall. Whilst his 18 months at Bournemouth have been frustrating, Defoe is a proven goalscorer who could have filled that void for Tottenham on a short-term basis.

However, by the time the need presented itself to Tottenham, it was too late. Defoe has joined Rangers on an 18-month loan this month where he will try to win the title under Steven Gerrard at Ibrox.

It is a shame for Tottenham because of all the options out there, Defoe would have met the needs of the club most perfectly. As it is, they are probably now best muddling along until the summer.