Defoe Reveals Why He Missed The BIG Transfer
Reuters / Lee Smith
Jermain Defoe has revealed that Louis Saha cost him a Manchester United move more than a decade ago.
Defoe is statistically a Premier League great, scoring 157 goals in his career. This places him 10th in the all-time scoring charts at present, ahead of more celebrated players like Michael Owen, Robin van Persie, and Sergio Aguero.
The Englishman was prolific at the start of the century, scoring goals at will. This linked him with a move to several clubs, including giants Manchester United and Arsenal. Defoe, however, decided to join Tottenham Hotspur, where he scored the bulk of his goals in the two spells at White Hart Lane.
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The 34-year old has now revealed why he rejected the Red Devils, quoting Frenchman Louis Saha as the reason. Saha had joined United on a much hyped transfer in 2004, but his Old Trafford career didn’t take off very much due to injuries plaguing him.
“Louis Saha had gone to Man United already and he was on fire,” Defoe told FourFourTwo.
He added: “The Arsenal link was exciting because Ian Wright was my hero as a kid. However, Spurs was perfect for me because of their history of strikers – Gary Lineker, Jimmy Greaves, Jurgen Klinsmann and Teddy Sheringham – so I wanted to get on that list, too.”
Defoe has scored 14 goals for the Black Cats this season, and his performances this term also earned him a return to the England national team, three years after he last turned out for them.
