Jermain Defoe reveals he snubbed Juventus for Tottenham return
Jermain Defoe has revealed that he snubbed a chance to join Juventus in favour of a return to Tottenham Hotspur in 2009 (h/t Sky Sports).
Defoe joined our club back in 2004 from West Ham and enjoyed a great four-year stint. But, having fallen out with Juande Ramos, the Englishman left the club to join hands with Harry Redknapp at Portsmouth in 2008.
But only a year later, the forward was offered a chance to return to Tottenham as Redknapp took over the reins at our club. In a conversation with Sky Sports, the striker, who is currently playing at Scottish club Rangers, revealed how the move came about.
During the winter transfer window in 2009, Redknapp received a call from Redknapp asking him to return to Tottenham. And while Defoe was considering the possibility, Juventus made an attempt to sign him (h/t Sky Sports).
“I was like, ‘Wow, really?!’ I was chuffed that a massive football club like Juventus wanted me.”
Defoe then goes on to add that he was tempted by the possibility of going to a foreign league and testing himself there. However, at the end, the former England international decided to return to White Hart Lane instead. And soon enough, he got a call from our chairman Daniel Levy to work out a return.
“I didn’t want to leave there in the first place, so of course I want to go back home. Maybe Daniel Levy got the phone call about Juve, because straight after that the deal was done. I felt happy again.”
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Defoe stayed at Tottenham for five more years, before leaving our club in February 2014 to join Toronto FC. In total, the 37-year-old made 363 appearances for Tottenham, scoring 143 goals. 79 of these came in his second stint with out club.