For those who want to know, supposedly, as sure as Xmas will soon be here, so too will Defoe. If TF really is going to pay 90K a week to get his signature, I don't want him. He should be coming to us on the cheap and be lucky that a PL team will take him after his foray in the MLS. I like him but not at those kind of $$$$$$$$$. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...moves-sign-former-Tottenham-striker-time.html
What will the transfer fee be? He is currently rated at the £5m - £6m mark. If we paid £5m for him plus similar in wages for three years that is £20m with no sell on value whatsoever. If we are relegated who would take him off our hands? So the cost would be about £6.66 million a year. Would he bring £6.66 million worth of value to the club? Now is NOT the time to buy expensive dead wood. If we are going to shell out £20m over three years then let it be on a younger player who has something to prove and might still have some resale value if it doesn't work out - or mega value if it does!
It's so tight at the bottom of the Prem that it's quite likely that succeeding or failing to stay up may come down to a point or even goal difference. All threatened clubs are looking for something to give them the necessary edge...that's why it's been so frustrating to see Taarabt wasting his talent when we know what he's capable of at his best. So far as Defoe is concerned, and answering Eamon's question, he could bring £6m benefit to the club if he comes and makes THE difference. (I agree totally with the general point about buying young players that should at least hold value). Defoe's recent form has been pretty good, but it's Canada not the Prem. I recall he's had some niggling injuries but nothing serious recently. It may all be irrelevant. QPR is said to be confident of getting him. Harry said that about retaining Remy,,,
It's a difficult one, I've always liked Defoe, but what is he going to be Rio, boswank, or a Nelsen, Dunne
True. There'd probably be a relegation clause, may be giving both club and player options. Of course, a fit Defoe would cut swathes through Championship defences. But there's the question - could we keep him fit approaching his mid 30's? AJ and OBZ's hip spring to mind
If we play Vargas through the middle consistently to the end of the year and he scores regularly, what then? Is Defoe assured of a shoe in or would he be sitting on the bench on 90k a week. Paying a 32 year old 90k/week for 3 years is wrong. He should be on about half of that on a maximum of a 2 year deal. If he doesn't accept the deal then so be it, we look elsewhere for a player with potential below the Prem. It could be that the figures quoted and story generally is inaccurate. However if it is accurate, have we learnt nothing?
Totally agree with this it must be the way to go Harry said last weekend about Austin that he is a natural goal scorer and goal scorers will score in any league, he should take his own advice and find someone in the lower leagues either way I can't see much between a young hungry player albeit zero Premier experience and the experienced Defoe that is currently off the pace and prone to injuries each will probably score 6/7 goals before the end of the season.
90k a week! Haven't these journo's learnt anything, we wll never pay that just ask borni's agent, loan deal till end of season or half his wage demands on short term deal, anyway at present I like the strike force we've got.
Not to bothered by Defoe, have my doubts but he could have benefits. What I think is more important is that I don't think he's the kind of player we need. Defoe is not a target man like Bobby, and that's what we miss when he's not there.
While I totally agree on buying young hungry players, Jan transfer window, for clubs at the lower reaches of any division, particularly looking for strikers, is all about finding someone to come in and score goals. Love to see stats on how successful clubs in that relegation threatened situation , fair, with bringing in strikers in Jan. I would guess the goal ratio would be pretty low, because of mainly settling into a new side, in a pressure situation. So a striker from lower divisions, should be more a summer signing with time to settle into the club, and a lot of practice matches, for them to get up-to-speed. Is defoe the man, he has a proven record, and 6-7 goals may be the difference between staying up. But with that money ??? Just hope we aren't in that position, which may require us to make such a high risk gamble.
According to reports Defoe has been nailed on for each of the last 8 transfer windows including 4 under HR himself so I'm assuming nothing until I see him actually on the pitch in blue and white hoops. At anything like his best he is one of the worlds great instinctive strikers so if he is finally available my only questions will be about his fitness and to what degree has the sharpness on which his game is based been degraded by the years.
Guess what, January 1st is a Thursday!!! If we signed him then I'm sure Cerny would rear his ugly head just to scream "I told you so". Although it's just in the tabloids, lets not forget we've already had HR and TF talk about it happening in January. My only hope is that it's just tabloid speculation over the wages, which going on past assumptions I'm sure it's just that. Although we know Remy was on a fortune and we did try to offer him more to stay, so could we be making a silly offer to Defoe? Personally I wouldn't mind Defoe, he's a clinical goal scorer, but personally I'd rather see Vargas start banging them in and then look for a different type of Striker as Defoe and Vargas are too similar in style and stature.
Very good point. I too would love to see Charlie and Vargas going on a little goal spree, which would also negate the need for a panic buy in January for a striker, even though we do actually need 1 more striker.
Yes, we definitely need another striker. OBZ is walking wounded despite great efforts. If Austin or Vargas were out for any length of time, big trouble...
Rio for all his faults is not a Bootswinga, he tries, but has no longer got it, and is disinterested because he cannot do what he used to , but not a disruptive influence...in fact all reports indicate a positive influence on the training ground. Defoe......still looks a bit like an impact sub....I really wish we had/gets a striker who could play 90 minutes, as said above...if Austin or Vargas gets an injury!!!... But he is a proven goalscorer (even now) at the highest level Come to RRRRs Defoe and we will knock that out of you
We should handle this as Newcastle did with Loic Remy - so on a Thursday in January we rent the hired gun Defoe from Toronto FC for 5 months, with no strings attached, say for £1.5 million, which over 20 weeks equates to £75,000/week, so fair for all parties concerned - Defoe gets paid, TFC get some mullah and hopefully we get a few goals for our money. We should also have some sort of return to club cause in the contract to cover potential injuries whilst he is with us.
