Rangers boss wants Defoe on permanent deal after Bournemouth exit

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Rangers boss Steven Gerrard says he’s hopeful of signing Jermain Defoe to a permanent deal when his Bournemouth contract expires at the end of the season, as quoted by the Glasgow Times.

The 37-year-old striker is currently on loan from the Cherries and as things stand, is set to leave Ibrox in the summer. However, he has previously expressed his desire to stay on in Glasgow [Sky Sports].

His game time is often dictated by the availability of Alfredo Morelos, and after playing second fiddle for much of the first half of the season, he’s set for an extended run in the side following the winter break.

He’s expected to lead the line against Stranraer in the Scottish Cup, as well as in Premiership fixtures against St Mirren and Hearts.

Gerrard has stressed how important his former England teammate is to his plans and has asserted that he hopes to sign him up when the opportunity arises.

“The way we play we don’t play with two number 9s unless we are trying to force something or we’re trying to get more goals on the pitch,” he said, as quoted by the Glasgow Times. “They are both as important as each other [Morelos and Defoe].”

“We want Jermain to stay, he knows exactly what the situation is. It’s in Jermain’s hands. We want him to stay and going off what I see I am hopeful something can be done.

“He appreciates where he is at this stage in his career and he appreciates the size of the club he’s at. I think he’s loving it.”

Verdict

Defoe served as the perfect foil for Morelos over the first half of the season.

Given his veteran status, he’s prepared to not play every week, but when he is called upon, more often than not he’s come up with the goods.

He has 14 goals in all competitions, netting 11 in the Premiership. That means he’s scored just one less than El Bufalo and two less than Odsonne Edouard, despite the Celtic striker playing over 500 more minutes.

With 11 strikes in just 733 minutes, Defoe has is averaging a goal every 67 – a quite remarkable statistic.

Signing him up to a permanent deal for next season, primarily as a backup, would be a no-risk option for the Gers, given his record to date in Light Blue.