Are we talking about the same player kidda?
Defoe was spotted and nurtured by Charlton as a schoolboy then ****ed them over to join W ham. A lengthy and acrimonious argument over compensation ensured between WHU and Charlton thereafter. Loyalty?
He Left WHU after handing in a written transfer request only 30 mins after WHU were relegated. He must have written it BEFORE the result of relegation was even known. Loyalty?
Joined Spurs but left to go to Pompey when he was offered club bankrupting wages and after sucking them dry, wanted out of the sinking ship that was the good ship Pompey to go back to Spurs. Loyalty?
He is a self centred me, me, me merchant and will demand massive wages for the inconvenience of him having to move up to the Antarctic of the North.
His heart will be forever elsewhere and this would show immediately. The second a London or Southern club came in for him, he'd ditch is without thought. However, unlike Judas, I dont think Defoe has it in him anymore at this level and I think he is finished mentally and physically.
Sorry mate but no way for me.
That's not the full story though Cest, Defoe never wanted to leave Spurs in the first place, he was basically told he was going, and the big contract at Pompey was Harry's doing, players aren't gonna say, 'that's a bit high'.
The Charlton thing, iirc, they hadn't offered him pro terms, WHU did, and he signed, Charlton ball watching, i'm not saying he's blameless, but a young lad wants a contract, and WHU were a bigger club, with a glorious history of producing players, indeed, Rio, Lampard and Cole were shining examples of it at that very time.
I'm not gonna defend Defoe to the hilt, as i agree with a lot of what you've said about him, but i'm sticking to my guns here, i feel he would have a bigger impact than Crouch at this time.