Jermain Defoe underwent surgery for a groin injury earlier this month in Europe. That is one thing that Toronto FC is sure about. The thing they are unsure about is if Defoe will return to Toronto next year. Toronto wants him back, so it seems, but it is unclear if Defoe wants to return.
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During the 2014 MLS season Defoe missed a total of 15 games either due to injury or suspensions. Defoe mentioned in September that the injury had been bothering him for a while and that surgery was not out of the question. The injury caused him to miss the team’s final two matches of the season.
Toronto FC Head Coach Greg Vanney had this to say:
"“He just recently had the surgery that we all suspected was going to happen at some point. Our focus right now is getting him healthy, and we continue to have ongoing conversations about getting him back here, and what it would look like to get him back on our team.”–courtesy sportsnet"
Defoe had this to say about his injury:
"“I had a scan and the first initial scan they said I had a strain in my abductor and a strain in my lower abdominal muscle,” Defoe said in September. “I carried on playing, wasn’t getting any better and it got to the point where even when I was running I could feel it and when I was shooting, it was really sore.”–courtesy mlssoccer.com"
FanSided
In only 19 appearances for Toronto this year, Defoe scored 11 goals which include a brace in their season opener on the road against the Seattle Sounders. When he was on the field, he was productive for Toronto and I am sure that the team would love nothing more than to have him back next year. However, Defoe is being sought after by European teams, most notably Queen Park Rangers.
During the summer it was reported that QPR made a bid to bring him back to the Premier League but the bid was rejected by Toronto. QPR Head Coach Harry Redknapp told English media that Defoe wanted to return to England.
Defoe understands the fans frustration:
"“I can understand fans would be frustrated” Defoe said. “Because as a fan I think I’d be a little bit frustrated, not with the player but with the situation where potentially, maybe a player could be leaving, a player that’s not been here that long. So yeah I can understand that, but at the same time I think what people need to realize is I never once came out publicly and said I want to leave the club.”–courtesy mlssoccer.com"
Defoe and Toronto need to figure out what they are going to do and figure it out soon. The 2015 MLS season is less than four months away and they need to decide what to do with the team in order for them to make the playoffs for the first time in franchise history.