Will Jermain Defoe leave Tottenham in January?

Tottenham and England striker Jermain Defoe is being linked with a January move away from White Hart Lane.

Defoe has fallen out of favour at Spurs has found first team football hard to come by in recent months.

Leaving?

Defoe seems to be looking for a move to gain first team football ahead of next summers European Championships. The striker told the Sun: “I’m 29, I need to play football. It’s as simple as that. There’s a tournament in the summer.

“I’ve been lucky enough to play in one tournament for my country. I want to play in one again as I know if I play in a tournament I’ll do well. I am working hard in the gym. I did a lot of work in the summer to get to this position and I’m not going to waste it by sitting on the bench when I know I should play.

“If I was about 21 I could sit on my hands. But I’m 29 and want to play football now every week.”

Spurs boss Harry Redknapp has stated that Defoe will not be leaving the club but he could be persuaded to sell if the striker continues to vent his frustration in the press. Tottenham are enjoying a superb run, despite last weekend’s unlucky defeat at Stoke and Redknapp won’t want that damaged by public frustration from his players.

Strikers

Tottenham haven’t got many options up front. Spurs are currently playing with on-loan Emmanuel Adebayor as the lone front man with Dutchman Rafael Van Der Vaart playing just behind him. The pair have been in superb form and it’s meant that Defoe’s first team starts have been limited.

However Tottenham currently only really have the three out and out strikers in the shape of Defoe, Adebayor and Russian international Roman Pavlyuchenko. If Adebayor picked up an injury then Redknapp would be left with just two.

It seems unlikely that Harry Redknapp will want sell Defoe and leave himself short of options in attack. Defoe could be a vital player for Tottenham this season, even if it’s just coming off the bench when his team needs a goal.

Euro’s

Jermain Defoe is now in a catch-22 position. He really wants to play more football to get into England’s European Championship squad but he will also want to help Tottenham finish as high up in the Premier League table as possible.

This is by far the best Tottenham he will have ever played in and I’m sure he wouldn’t want to leave the Lane on a permanent basis. Tottenham look like they are on the cusp of something really special and it wouldn’t be the best of times to leave White Hart Lane.

I’m sure if Jermain Defoe had the choice he would stay at Tottenham and play regular first team football. However he doesn’t seem to think he will get a fair crack of the whip with Spurs.

Staying

With Tottenham looking like unlikely Premier League title challengers I really can’t see Harry Redknapp selling a player of Jermain Defoe’s ability. The England striker is always likely to get his team a goal.

Tottenham are well place for a top four finish in the Premier League and they need to keep hold of the likes of Defoe if they are to stay amongst the top teams. Jermain Defoe leaving Spurs I don’t think so but just never know in football. If he does leave the club I think it would only be on a temporary basis.

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