According to media, England international striker Jermain Defoe could complete his move to Bournemouth on a free transfer by the weekend.
The veteran striker had a clause in his Sunderland contract that allowed him to leave if the Black Cats suffered relegation.
Last season the north east side’s campaign was a miserable one and they will be playing Championship football next season. However, thankfully the diminutive striker will not be.
Earlier this month it was rumoured that the striker had agreed to terms with the Cherries over a move. However, the striker had not quite put pen to paper on the move, but the formalities of the deal will reportedly now be complete this weekend.
Still good enough to play in the Premier League
I really like Jermain Defoe, as a footballer and a human being, as he comes across as a nice guy off the pitch. Last season he scored 15 top-flight goals in 37 Premier League appearances for a team struggling badly to avoid the drop.
The 34-year-old may well be in the twilight of his career, but he still knows how to find the net. His experience and goals could be the key to helping Bournemouth move forward in the next couple of seasons.
Defoe’s experience could also help the club’s other strikers, such as Joshua King, who himself found the net 16 times last season in the Premier League. The 25-year-old may gain a lot of knowledge from training and playing with a striker like Defoe.
Will be a worthwhile signing for the Cherries
According to reports, Defoe will be collecting £65,000 per week at Bournemouth. That sort of wage at Bournemouth a couple of years ago would have been unthinkable. The Cherries have come a long way in recent seasons.
Under boss Eddie Howe, they have developed into a team that plays attractive football. However, they have looked naïve at times, as many of the players in the Cherries squad have been at Bournemouth a long time, so do not have great Premier League experience.
Defoe will add that immense Premier League and to some extent international experience to the squad. The striker’s presence on the pitch almost guarantees goals. Those goals could be the difference between success and failure for the Cherries next season.
To be able to get a striker with Defoe’s scoring record on a free is an absolute no-brainer for the Cherries. His wages are big. However, what he will bring to the club in the short-term will no doubt make the move well worth it for the south coast club.
Bournemouth aiming high next season
Bournemouth as a football club have made giant leaps in the last five years or so. The Cherries have gone from close to bankruptcy to Premier League regulars, a major turnaround in fortunes.
Last season Howe’s side finished ninth in the Premier League table. The Cherries are odds of 9/4 next season to finish in the top-ten.
Last summer the Cherries transfer activity was poor, to say the least. However, the likely signing of Defoe would be a good first signing of the summer for Howe’s team. The Cherries are also reportedly interested in bringing centre-back Nathan Ake back to the club in a permanent £20million deal.
The Dutch star was on loan on the south coast from Chelsea for the first half of last season and produced a string of impressive displays. On paper, the youngster would also be a very shrewd summer signing for the Cherries.
For me, Jermain Defoe signing for Bournemouth is ideal. The striker continues his career in the Premier League, while the club gets a proven goalscorer. Everybody is a winner really except former club Sunderland, who have lost their only real goal threat from last season.
I have no doubts that Jermain Defoe will carry on scoring goals in the Premier League next season. Bournemouth look to have pulled off a fine coup in securing the striker’s signature.
Will Jermain Defoe will be a good signing for Bournemouth?
