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Camden Sports - DAN CARRIER
Published: 8 January 2009

Defoe: back where he belongs

Redknapp’s first signing reveals he never wanted to leave the Lane

JERMAIN Defoe came back to White Hart Lane on Tuesday as Harry Redknapp’s first signing as Spurs boss – and revealed how he didn’t want to leave in the first place.
Defoe was sold last January to Portsmouth. He told the New Journal he had been summoned to the then manager Juande Ramos’s office before the 1-1 draw with Arsenal in last year’s Carling Cup semi-final first leg.
He said: “I expected I was going to be told that I was going to be in the team. Instead, he told me I could leave if a club came in for me. I was very shocked.”
Now Spurs have re-signed the striker by cashing in on IOUs. Spurs have written off three credit notes they had with Portsmouth, who owed the Lilywhites cash for transfer deals involving Defoe, Younes Kaboul and Pedro Mendes, believed to be worth around £11 million.
Speaking before Tottenham’s Carling Cup victory over Burnley on Tuesday, Defoe underlined that he had been happy at Spurs, saying: “I didn’t want to leave in the first place.”
Defoe added that the chance to play for Redknapp again was another big draw. The manager discovered him at West Ham and signed him for Portsmouth 12 months ago. He said: “The manager was a major factor, and my family are all still in London.”
Defoe’s recruitment is likely not to be the last. With fringe players like Kevin Prince Boateng, Ricardo Rocha, Adel Taarabt and Giovani Dos Santos on the bench against Burnley, Redknapp admitted he is desperate to bring in hardened Premiership pros. He said: “I have just 14 or 15 players with enough experience, so I’ll be looking to add some proven quality and power to the squad.”

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