Rangers have signed former England striker Jermain Defoe on an 18-month loan deal from Premier League side Bournemouth, as per reports from BBC Sport.
The 36-year-old veteran striker has found game time come at a premium in the ongoing campaign at the Vitality Stadium. With the Cherries further securing the services of Dominic Solanke from Liverpool in a £19m deal (h/t Goal.com), his chances would have further reduced at the club.
And Rangers do seem like a good destination for the talented forward. The Gers have made a solid start to life under new manager Steven Gerrard. Halfway through the campaign, they sit second in the Scottish Premier League league, level on points with leaders and bitter rivals Celtic.
While they may have stumbled in the League Cup and the UEFA Europa League, there is no questioning that under the Liverpool legend, the Light Blues are making notable strides forward – as highlighted by their 1-0 win over Celtic in the Glasgow Derby.
However, for them to sustain their title challenge and keep up the pressure on Brendan Rodgers’ side, a couple of additions in the January transfer window would be the right way to go about things. And one position they desperately needed to strengthen is the striker’s role.
Alfredo Morelos has been in scintillating form once again and is the leading goalscorer in the Premiership with 12 goals to his name. However, Gerrard doesn’t have a lot of options to fall back upon should the Colombian succumb to injury or get suspended.
Summer signing Kyle Lafferty has found the back of the net just four times in 17 league outings. The Gers also cancelled Umar Sadiq’s loan deal after the AS Roma starlet failed to make any sort of impression at the Ibrox. And this is where Defoe could emerge as a viable solution for the Light Blues.
The 36-year-old is one of the most decorated strikers in England and has been successful wherever he has played throughout his career. Having started out at West Ham United, Defoe went on to enjoy successful spells with Tottenham Hotspur and Portsmouth (loan) before joining MLS outfit Toronto FC where he made a significant impact as well.
Defoe returned to England with Sunderland in 2015 and enjoyed a couple of fine campaigns with the Black Cats even as they got relegated to the Premier League. Following the Wearsiders’ relegation, Defoe joined Bournemouth in the 2017 but did not have the best of times as he finished with just four goals and one assist in 26 appearances across all competitions.
The veteran forward featured just 8 times across all competitions this term, totalling up to 254 minutes of on-field action. He may not have been involved regularly for Eddie Howe’s side this season but the Englishman, despite being 36, remains a more than capable striker. Sure, he is not the same player he was a few years ago but someone with 163 Premier League goals and 20 goals for the England national team doesn’t lose quality overnight.
Given the opportunity, the former England international is more than capable of delivering in the Scottish top division. If not as a regular starter, he could be more than a potent impact substitute. And his years of experience at the highest level is bound to come in handy as it could help Morelos learn and improve his game as well. Thus, Rangers stand to gain a lot on and off the field with Defoe in the mix.
