Premier League - Defoe makes Tottenham return

Eurosport - Wed, 07 Jan 10:16:00 2009

Jermain Defoe said he never wanted to leave Tottenham for Portsmouth after returning to White Hart Lane in a £15 million deal.

2008-2009 Tottenham Hotspur Jermain Defoe - 0

England striker Defoe is expected to lead Harry Redknapp's attack, havingf been deemed surplus to requirements by then-manager Juande Ramos less than a year ago.

Robbie Keane and Dimitar Berbatov have since been sold, while big-money summer signing Roman Pavlyuchenko has made little impact.

The 26-year-old was paraded on the pitch to fans before Spurs' 4-1 Carling Cup win over Burnley last night.

"It's great to be back and I'm looking forward to the challenge," Defoe said. "It's hard to put it in words, it's brilliant.

"A number of things [made me return]. Obviously everyone knows the manager was a major factor. My family still live in London and the fans were a factor too - you can tell by the reception I got.

"I never wanted to leave, but as a professional there comes a time when you think you ned to move on. I did in order to improve my England career."

Spurs boss Redknapp, who was in charge at Pompey when Defoe moved to Fratton Park, will still have money to spend in the January transfer window despite Defoe's £15m capture.

The structure of the deal to bring the 26-year-old back, after leaving less than a year ago, means Spurs are not parting with what they view as a huge cash sum to seal the striker's signature.

That will allow Spurs chairman Daniel Levy to continue negotiating for layers such as Middlesbrough's Stewart Downing, with boss Redknapp wanting "three or four players" to bolster his squad for the second half of the season.

"We have not really got a squad. If you look at my team (against Burnley), that was the best I have available," said Redknapp.

"We have not got any strength in depth or cover - if Gareth Bale gets a knock, there is no-one else to play left-back.

"It is a badly-balanced, put-together squad, in all honesty, from day one."

Ghana midfielder Stephen Appiah is on trial and could be one of several more fresh faces arriving during the transfer window.

Redknapp added: "I would like to get another three or four decent players in. I think we need to.

"We need a certain type here - we have got an awful lot of good little players, but we need more strength and a bit more power in the team."

Sporting Life / Eurosport

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  1. what da hell harry is going soon mate, u gonna want to follow him as well.

    From Trisha - ann, on Tue 6 Jan 11:22PM

  2. Thanks johnston_yvonne for spoting the mistake in my earlier comment. I guess you know it was just a typing error. I did made my point anyway. You will make a good proff-reader

    From oluwafemi, on Tue 6 Jan 11:08PM

  3. not one intelligent post above - not even one

    do any football supporters go to school?

    From PAUL M, on Tue 6 Jan 11:07PM

  4. @#$% you

    From Tom, on Tue 6 Jan 11:04PM

  5. defoe returns to white hart lane, HE LOOKED MORE LIKE NORMAN WISDOM, HAHAHAHAH,(HARRY AS--------MR GRIMSDALE HEHEHEHEHEHE

    From Yvonne, on Tue 6 Jan 10:23PM

  6. To all the pompy fans why get bitter with Spurs its your board thats letting it happen.
    If anything you should be gratfull for the cash you need it.

    From Shaun, on Tue 6 Jan 10:22PM

  7. tharrington2008 - u ask who r burnley they r da team dat knocked out chelsea in the carling cup

    From catbluechelsea, on Tue 6 Jan 10:13PM

  8. LOOK OUT here come the spurs fans, you were very quiet the first half, one nil down then, you only shout when your winning, great supporters you lot are ??????????????

    From Yvonne, on Tue 6 Jan 10:11PM

  9. GREEDY SPOILT BRAT

    From jase, on Tue 6 Jan 10:04PM

  10. come on.....1 more goal from these yids and it will be just like beating arsenal last season!

    YIDDO!

    From zebraheaduk, on Tue 6 Jan 9:50PM

  11. i think harry has done portsmouth a good deal just to say thanks for the get out of the deal with them. perhaps robbie kean may return on a free loan and berbatov will score 100 goals this year .....ha go harry make us laugh at spurs we could do with it mate. 4-1 who the heck are burnley

    From Terence, on Tue 6 Jan 9:37PM

  12. Defoe comes home what a feeling to have one of the best talents in the prem and a big thanks to harry

    From Steve, on Tue 6 Jan 9:34PM

  13. Deafoe never received 'death threats'...Who does he think he's kidding. Where would people get his private mobile number from for heaven's sake? Grow up Defoe, you went for the money..like Harry, whoo needed to bail himself out of a property deal that went sour. Fact!

    From Ian, on Tue 6 Jan 9:26PM

  14. .

    From john.riordan, on Tue 6 Jan 9:21PM

  15. Harry must of said he planed on leaving spurs after 90 mins, at half time or hes given the ref a backhander, hehehe. COME ON BURNLEY

    From Yvonne, on Tue 6 Jan 9:20PM

  16. MAYBE ITS JAIMIE HE HAS A CRUSH ON - PROBABLY WATCHES THE WII ADVERT OVER AND OVER AGAIN. NO OBVIOUS SIGNS OF HIS WEEKEND COLD WHEN HE WAS INTERVIEWED AT HALF TIME - BUT HIS NOSE APPEARED TO BE BIGGER!

    From MARGARET T, on Tue 6 Jan 9:11PM

  17. Damn, he seems to have a serious crush on Redknapp, but I don't see how can all that make any sense.

    From The Northerner, on Tue 6 Jan 9:02PM

  18. Oh come on SPURS have plenty of cups in their " CANTEEN " HAHAHAHAHA

    From Yvonne, on Tue 6 Jan 8:59PM

  19. THANKS SPURS FOR THE LOAN OF DEFOE AND OH ALSO THANKS FOR PAYING US 7.5 MILLION TO HAVE HIM . HE AINT ALL THAT SO YOU CAN HAVE HIM BACK NOW,
    PLAY UP BURNLEY DO THE YIDS.

    From Mart, on Tue 6 Jan 8:57PM

  20. LETS HOPE IT ALL COMES CRASHING DOWN FOR TOTTENHAM ..... THEN JERMAIN WILL MISS OUT ON PARTICIPATING IN SILVERWARE VICTORIES AGAIN THIS SEASON. POETIC JUSTICE?

    From MARGARET T, on Tue 6 Jan 8:49PM
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