Jermain Defoe is likely to miss the remainder of Sunderland’s pre-season through injury - but should be fit for the opening day game at Manchester City. Last season’s 15-goal top scorer has missed Sunderland’s two friendlies in France with a thigh injury which will require a scan and which is expected to keep him out of action for around a fortnight. That means he will not feature in either Sunderland’s game against Montpellier on Saturday, or their dress rehearsal against Borussia Dortmund in Austria a week on Friday. But first team coach Robbie Stockdale saysDefoe is expected to be ready to face Man City at the Etihad Stadium on August 13, when the Black Cats’ Premier League campaign gets under way. “Jermain picked up a little thigh strain in one of the sessions,” said Stockdale. “You would do very well to get through pre-season without these little niggles so hopefully – once he’s had a scan – we will be able to make an assessment. “It won’t be a long injury and I’m sure Jermain will be keen to be fit for the first game of the season, and we are as well. “At the moment it’s probably too early to say and we don’t think it’s anything serious, but obviously with a player like Jermain you don’t to take any risks. “I’ve been on record before and said that Jermain is a fantastic professional who works hard at his game and his fitness, so there are no issues with that and we will work to replicate some of the stuff he can do so he will be out here working and he won’t have his feet up. “It’s not a problem, we will deal with it and move on.” Defoe’s absence for the final fortnight of pre-season is a blow for new boss David Moyes, with the 33-year-old former England striker having looked sharp in pre-season, scoring twice in Sunderland’s first friendly against Hartlepool United a week ago. With Steven Fletcher and Danny Graham leaving the club at the end of their contracts this summer - and no new signings having arrived as yet - Defoe is the Black Cats’ only senior striker.
Safc statement. Sunderland’s coaching staff are confident that Jermain Defoe will make a swift return to action despite picking up a thigh injury in training. The 33-year-old is yet to feature during the club’s pre-season tour of France, with first-team coach Robbie Stockdale revealing the striker will undergo a scan on the injury in the coming days. Despite awaiting a definitive prognosis, Defoe is expected to be fit for the start of the Premier League season, and he will be able to maintain his fitness and prepare for the new campaign thanks to a tailored training programme. “Jermain picked up a little thigh strain in one of the sessions,” explained Stockdale. “You would do very well to get through pre-season without these little niggles so hopefully – once he’s had a scan – we will be able to make an assessment. “It won’t be a long injury and I’m sure Jermain will be keen to be fit for the first game of the season, and we are as well.” He added: “At the moment it’s probably too early to say and we don’t think it’s anything serious, but obviously with a player like Jermain you don’t to take any risks. “I’ve been on record before and said that Jermain is a fantastic professional who works hard at his game and his fitness, so there are no issues with that and we will work to replicate some of the stuff he can do so he will be out here working and he won’t have his feet up. “It’s not a problem, we will deal with it and move on.” Stockdale also provided an update on Patrick van Aanholt’s fitness after the left-back limped off during Sunderland’s 3-2 win over Dijon FCO. “At the break Patrick felt some groin tightness but he said he’d have a go and see if it would loosen off. “There is absolutely no major issues there; whether we risk him on Saturday will depend on how he settles down over the next couple of days, but he will be fit for Borussia Dortmund.”
He can miss the City match as far as I'm concerned ...... Borini & Watmore to play deep and break quickly.
Shows how fragile your squad is relying on Defoe as much as you do, there's no other striker there who'll guarantee you goals like he does. Borini, Khazri, PVA, Lens... they're your most likely other scorers right now, shows a distinct lack of depth up front. Surely Moyes has to be looking at Ulloa, Ings, Remy, maybe even Kone from Everton... going into the season with just who you have and no backup striker is dangerous. Break the bank for Benteke and show a statement of intent under Moyes perhaps.
All of them are better than N'Doye. Depends what budget you'll be working with, can't see any of the strikers I named getting many games next season at their current clubs.
Just covering a wide range of values and illustrating the type of player who has been deemed previously good enough, recently.
Haha!! Deemed good enough before we saw him play though! (See Rodwell for more information!!) Just don't like Kone at all - only seems capable of scoring against us when we give him the freedom of Liverpool! Ulloa seems totally inconsistent too. But we'll see what happens
Would be very keen on Ings or Benteke mind. Benteke would be a real intent signing, I don't buy for a second he's suddenly poor, he made the wrong move it happens. I've seen him torment our CBs a few times, the lads a weapon.
He's a good striker when he's given confidence and faith, but the rest of the time he only seems to play when he wants to play. This time last year he was being compared to Lukaku, he's nowhere near Lukaku, there'll be no takers at £30m but at £18m-£20m somebody might get themselves a good deal. Ings would be the better option imo, for Sunderland, less risk and more likely to stay long term.
Depends how he is after his long lay-off with injury, he looked good for Burnley, I'm not sure what chances he'll get under Klopp, especially with them having signed Mane now and another 15 AM's.
Benteke, Berihino, Gomez, Ayew, Sakho, will one of them come here ?. Rashford/Junajez on loan would be great. Valencia from WHU would be my choice but he won't come.
So you say Valencia won;t come here but think Rashford will? @Notorious T.E.L what do you reckon Who's this Junajez you speak of? Never hear of him?
