Oxford United boss Karl Robinson has remained tight-lipped on reports linking the club with a move for England veteran Jermain Defoe.
After being let go by Rangers, Defoe has been linked with a move back to England.
League One quartet Sunderland, Charlton Athletic, Ipswich Town and Oxford United have all been linked with the former Premier League striker, although Ipswich’s interest has been dismissed.
Now, amid the links with a move for Defoe, Oxford boss Robinson has now been questioned.
As quoted by the Oxford Mail, Robinson remained tight-lipped on the rumours regarding a potential move for Defoe, declining to comment on the matter.
Here’s what he had to say:
“With Jermain, that’s something that we’re not going to comment on.
“I’ve always been quite open with what we’re trying to do because the market has been so vast and varied that you know you’re quite comfortable mentioning things.
“Sometimes I say things for effect to hide situations, but in this situation, I don’t think it’s right that we comment on what we’re trying to do.”
A marquee addition…
For any of the clubs linked with a move for Defoe, a deal would be one of the EFL’s most eye-catching additions of the season so far
Although the striker is now 39 and available for nothing, there are few players who can match his pedigree. The former West Ham youngster has spent the vast majority of his career playing at the top level, notching up almost 500 Premier League appearances over the course of his career. In the process, he scored 163 top-flight goals, also managing 20 in 57 for England.
He was a regular scorer for Rangers before his release too, netting 32 goals in 74 games for the Scottish side.
A deal until the end of the season is in the offing for Defoe but it remains to be seen who will win the fight for his signature. A return to Sunderland would mark a romantic reunion with a club he is fondly remembered by, while Defoe started his career in the Charlton youth academy.
There isn’t a connection with Oxford like there is with Sunderland and Charlton, but Robinson’s side are in the fight for promotion. The U’s sit in 7th place as it stands, just outside League One’s play-off spots.
