Ex-England striker Jermain Defoe, now 35, has been talking to media about a potential departure from Bournemouth and a return to his first-club West Ham United in the near future - be it this summer or at a later-date. Having been a rotational option on the south coast for Eddie Howe, it could be that a transfer is very much in the offing. What Are The Odds looks at the Jermain Defoe next club odds market via Sky Bet.
In quotes carried by the Express Jermain Defoe spoke about returning to the Hammers after leaving the club post-relegation in 2004;
“If I ever sign for West Ham again, of course they will forgive me.”
“There’s been speculation and stuff and I thought it was going to happen when I was at Sunderland (in 2017).”
A return to east London could very well be on the cards under new manager Manuel Pellegrini according to Sky Bet, with odds currently on-offer of 3/1 (4.00). The issue though could be playing-time - will it be a case of being a rotational option from the bench, if so, would the 35-year old Defoe want that at this stage of his career?
First team football and the chance of scoring important and potentially title-deciding goals could be on-offer at Rangers in Scotland - now led by former Liverpool star Steven Gerrard. The project in Glasgow could be an appealing one to a striker that has bagged some seriously important goals in his time - with a price of 9/2 (5.50) it’s a runner but there perhaps needs to be a bit more proactivity from both parties.
Wolves are an interesting one further back at 12/1 (13.0) - quality and strength in depth will be top of Nuno Espírito Santo’s summer shortlist and no doubt a proven goalscorer like Defoe would fit the bill. Like West Ham though, would a potential rotational or ‘super sub’ option work for the striker who will want first team football week-in week-out?
A return to the MLS for Jermain Defoe is a big outsider at 20/1 (21.0), and having done the business with Toronto a few seasons back it would be unlikely that the Englishman would go back at this point - with the feeling he can still do a job at the top level in England or potentially in Scotland.
Probability of Jermain Defoe's next club
| Next Club | Jermain Defoe Transfer Odds | Probability | |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Ham | 3/1 | 25.00% | |
| Rangers | 9/2 | 18.18% | |
| Wolves | 12/1 | 7.69% | |
| Any MLS Club | 20/1 | 4.76% | |
| Brighton | 25/1 | 3.85% | |
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