Jermain Defoe, the veteran England striker currently on loan at Rangers, has told Sky Sports he wants to stay at Ibrox.
The 37-year-old is due to become a free agent in the summer when both his Gers loan and his contract at parent club AFC Bournemouth, expire [Transfermarkt].
However, he’s hoping that Steven Gerrard will quickly seize the opportunity and reward his efforts with a permanent deal.
Defoe wants permanent Rangers contract
“He’s [Gerrard] said to me he’s delighted with how I’m playing but not just that, with how I am around the place with the younger lads, helping everyone,” Defoe told Sky Sports. “It was nice for him to say that.”
“I want to stay. It’s a special football club – you feel it.”
Then when asked if he thought extending his career into his 40s was a possibility, he said:
“The way I feel now, easily. I do everything right [when preparing for matches], which is easy for me. My recovery, training, knowing how to manage myself. All the things you should do, I do. I think it’s showing in my performances.”
Verdict
Defoe has really kicked things up a notch at the start of this season after a decent spell towards the back end of 2018/19.
He has 12 goals from 14 appearances in all competitions, despite many of those outings coming from the bench [Soccerbase].
On current form, there’s simply no reason not to award him a deal.
Steven Gerrard is clearly a big fan and fellow players regularly suggest he is a model professional. It’s remarkable that at his age, Defoe is sharp enough to be banging them in for a club fighting for silverware on all fronts.
Right now, he’s the perfect foil for Alfredo Morelos, and if he can stay injury-free, the Gers should definitely look to tie him down.
