Former Rangers star Jermain Defoe is struggling at Sunderland since joining the side on transfer deadline day in January.
Defoe was released by the Gers midway through January after featuring just twice for the Ibrox side since the start of the season as Giovanni van Bronckhorst continued to shake up the playing squad.
Having only been without a club for a couple of weeks, he sealed a “special” return to League One side Sunderland, who he played for between 2015 and 2017.
Jermain Defoe is struggling for minutes at Sunderland despite Alex Neil recently taking over
There was doubt that Defoe was still fit enough to play for Rangers, but with a wealth of attackers ahead of him in the pecking order meant a starting spot would be unlikely.
The Englishman was also focussing on coaching under Steven Gerrard, but when Gio arrived it was reported that Defoe would be free to focus on his playing career as the Dutchman had brought in his own backroom team.
This was perhaps the catalyst for his departure and his choice in re-joining Sunderland, however, it isn’t quite going to plan so far.
Defoe has only featured in four matches out of six since he returned to the Stadium of Light and started only one, the 1-1 draw with Burton in Alex Neil’s second match in charge.
This would have been expected as he hasn’t had much game time before the move, but he would have been expecting to make a bigger impact than this so far.
With Neil taking charge in order to boost promotion hopes, Defoe has only featured in one match under him.
As the games come thick and fast over the next couple of months and with Sunderland currently in a playoff spot, then there will be plenty of chances for the striker to show why they signed him in the first place.
Rangers fans will certainly be hoping he makes an impression and continues his already stellar career for yet another season.
