MLS side Toronto FC have beaten off competition from the Premier League to land Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe in a £6 million deal, according to the Mirror. Defoe has agreed an incredible £90,000-a-week switch to the Canadian club, having snubbed interest from West Ham and QPR, the latter bossed by former manager Harry Redknapp. The move will be completed when the January transfer window opens in just over a month and will mean the 31-year-old England international will end his career outside of Europe. Defoe will discuss the implications for his 2014 World Cup prospects with Three Lions manager Roy Hodgson, after accepting a four year contract in Canada. It is thought the former Portsmouth player said yes to the move abroad last week, with the news coming as a crushing blow to other interested parties such as the Hammers and QPR. Both were keen but were ultimately gazumped by Toronto's bid, which proved too irresistible for the marksman to turn down. Despite being a regular goalscorer for Tottenham - he is the Londoner's highest scorer this season with seven strikers - this move draws a line under a frustrating spell at White Hart Lane. Defoe has been restricted to Europa League matches this season, and has made just the one Premier League start this term having fallen down the pecking order behind new signing Roberto Soldado. He will be fondly remembered by Spurs fans however after he overtook club legend Martin Chivers's all-time European goalscoring record of 22 for the Londoners against FC Sheriff in the Europa League earlier this season.
Joseph is an accredited football journalist and has interviewed nearly all of the current 20 Barclay's Premier League managers. He is also a correspondent for Bleacher Report and has written for Caught Offside and Give Me Football.
