Earlier today, Bournemouth confirmed their second summer signing following the addition of goalkeeper Asmir Begovic, with Jermain Defoe joining the Cherries on a free transfer from Sunderland.
The 34-year-old put pen to paper on a three-year contract and will return to the club where he spent a loan spell during the 2000/01 season.
Speaking to their official website, Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe expressed his delight at being able to attract a player of Defoe’s quality back to the south coast:
“This a huge moment for the football club and another step in the right direction. We want to bring players here who can have a big impact on our continued rise, and we believe Jermain fits that as a natural, proven goal scorer.”
The History
Defoe began his youth career at Charlton Athletic at the age of 14, before moving onto West Ham United, where he made his professional debut in a League Cup tie against Walsall in September 2000, scoring the only goal in a 1-0 win.
He was then sent out on loan to then Second Division outfit Bournemouth, scoring 18 goals in 29 appearances, before being handed his Premier League debut against Middlesbrough in May 2001.
The 2001/02 season saw Defoe establish himself in the West Ham first-team, scoring 10 goals in 35 league outings.
Despite the Hammers relegation to the Championship in 2003, Defoe remained at Upton Park for six months before joining Tottenham Hotspur in February 2004 for a fee rising to £7 million.
He spent just under four years at White Hart Lane, scoring 43 goals in 139 appearances and then moved to Portsmouth for £7.5 million in January 2008.
Defoe’s spell at Fratton Park was short-lived though, with Spurs deciding to re-sign the striker a year later.
Although not always a regular starter, Defoe remained a consistent goalscorer for the north London outfit, netting 47 times in 135 appearances over a five-year spell, before deciding to join MLS side Toronto FC in January 2014.
He scored 11 goals in 19 matches, but the lure of a return to the Premier League proved too great, and he joined Sunderland a year later.
After a relatively slow start, Defoe totalled 30 goals and five assists in 70 appearances over two seasons with the Black Cats, although he couldn’t prevent them from suffering relegation last term.
Defoe represented England at U16, U18 and U21 levels before making his senior debut in a 1-0 friendly defeat to Sweden in March 2004.
He has amassed 57 caps for his country, scoring 20 goals, and recently returned to the fold under current manager Gareth Southgate.
The Prospects
Having consistently scored goals throughout his career, Defoe’s outstanding predatory instincts should mean he is a success in his second stint at Bournemouth.
Upon confirmation of his move to the Vitality Stadium, the England international stated “the one thing I can guarantee is goals,” and based on his output for Sunderland; there is little to reason to doubt his word.
The Cherries began last season with Callum Wilson as their first-choice striker, but he succumbed to a second serious knee injury in as many seasons back in February.
Josh King – who had spent much of the first half of the season switching between playing out wide and taking up a support striker role – cemented a berth in the starting XI following Wilson’s injury, while Benik Afobe also forced his way into the XI.
Howe often switched between 4-4-1-1 and 4-4-2 systems during the second half of last season, with King and Afobe enjoying much success as a front pairing.
But given Defoe’s quality, he is expected to take over from Afobe as the central striker, with King set to either play alongside or just behind the veteran.
King was one of the huge success stories in Fantasy Premier League (FPL) last term, particularly during the second half of the season, belying his starting price tag of just 5.5 to produce 16 goals and three assists.
The Norwegian international thrived as an “out of position” Fantasy asset, classified as a midfielder in FPL but invariably playing in a more advanced attacking role.
But with reclassification as a forward likely for 2017/18, Fantasy managers look set to be handed a dilemma.
Having started last season priced at 7.0 in FPL, and finishing the campaign as the fifth highest scoring forward with 166 points, Defoe is set to earn a price hike to between 7.5 and 8.0.
King will be expected to command a similar valuation when the game launches next month. However, with Defoe set to snatch spot-kick duties – having scored five for Sunderland – he looks to have the upper hand.
Assessing their underlying statistics, Defoe had the edge in terms of shots, averaging an attempt every 33.5 minutes, slightly superior to King (40.6).
Bearing in mind that King made numerous appearances on the flank during the opening months, his numbers remain impressive. Certainly, those outings in midfield help explain why he averaged a key pass every 90.70 minutes – significantly stronger than Defoe (166.1).
But we should consider that Defoe produced his statistics in a side that ranked joint-bottom for big chances (35), although notably, King boasted a superior goal conversion rate (23.9 to 15.2).
Bournemouth ranked seventh for both goals scored (55) and big chances (65) in 2016/17, so Defoe can perhaps expect an improved supply of chances at his new club.
He is surely set to rank among the leading mid-price forward options, although Bournemouth’s mixed opening schedule (wba, WAT, MCI, ars, BHA, eve) means that Fantasy managers may choose to sit back and assess the data before committing to the Cherries attack.
Regardless, the capture of Defoe looks a canny piece of business, and with Begovic and perhaps defender Nathan Ake also on board, the Cherries look to be building a squad capable of securing a second successive top 10 finish.
Defoe certainly looks primed for another fine season, but the battle with King to claim a place in our affections could be a debate that rages throughout the campaign.
