Sam Allardyce claims that he is ready to build a team around Jermain Defoe.
The Sunderland manager says that he will not consider selling the striker on a cheap even though he is coming to the end of his career. Instead, it would take an incredible offer to persuade him to even consider the possibility of a sale. Sunderland have been making enough progress in their efforts to avoid relegation. The progress did not come immediately after the appointment of Allardyce. Now, however, the club has won two games in the last five matches.
Back-to-back victories against Aston Villa and Swansea have helped them remain in touch with the clubs trying to get out of the relegation zone. Without these victories, there was a danger of Sunderland becoming adrift near the foot of the table. A major reason behind these victories was the form of Defoe, who has taken his season’s tally to 12 goals in 18 appearances. This is an extremely good return for a player at a relegation threatened outfit. Since he remains the best opportunity that Sunderland have in order to get out of the drop zone, Allardyce says that it will take a monumental amount of money to persuade the club to sell the 33-year-old.
Defoe was brought back to English football by Sunderland after a brief spell in the MLS. “We haven’t had any bids for Jermain and I suppose if there had been a bid for him, I would have turned it down. Unless it had been that big a bid that the owner told me we couldn’t afford to turn it down. Every club has that scenario but we haven’t had a bid for Jermain and we don’t want to sell him. There’s always been a belief that maybe he can’t play up front on his own but he’s played on his own a couple of times for me now,” said Allardyce.