Jermain Defoe joins Bournemouth on a three-year deal after leaving Sunderland following relegation
Cherries sign England striker on deal worth £65,000-a-week
BOURNEMOUTH have completed the signing of Jermain Defoe on a free transfer.
The England striker has signed a three-year deal at Dean Court, on a deal worth £65,000-a-week.
The 34-year-old scored 15 goals as Sunderland were relegated last season.
The South Coast club are expected to announce the arrival of the striker later on Thursday.
Defoe, who had been linked with a moves to West Brom and West Ham, had seen talks stall with Bournemouth this week.
The England man completed his medical at Bournemouth earlier in the summer, but there was disparity over his signing-on fee.
Defoe is said to have wanted an £8million signing bonus on top of his wages - which had previously been reported at £130,000-a-week.
The diminutive striker will return to Bournemouth 17 years after a loan spell thrust a teenage Defoe into the limelight.
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Jermain Defoe profile
- Born in Beckton, England in 1982 and began his youth career at Charlton
- Moved to West Ham in 1999 and joined second-division Bournemouth on loan where he scored in 10 consecutive matches
- He was described as a 'kid with a big future' Harry Redknapp following his loan move
- Joined Spurs for £6m in 2004 after West Ham's relegation
- Would later sign for Portsmouth under Redknapp before moving back to Tottenham
- Drew criticism after joining Toronto in 2014 before Sunderland gave him another chance in the Premier League
- Has 57 England caps, scoring 20 goals
Harry Redknapp took Defoe on loan from West Ham in 2000-01 and the youngster scored 18 goals in 29 matches in the old Second Division.
After returning to West Ham he scored 10 Premier League goals in his first season back - the start of his long history of finding the net in the top flight.
Defoe is currently seventh on the all-time list of Premier League top scorers, with 158 goals.
He should pass Robbie Fowler next season, needing six, although he would need 18 to move past Thierry Henry into fifth.
Defoe also has 20 goals in 57 England caps, scoring his first in four years in March when England beat Lithuania 2-0 in a World Cup qualifier.
Earlier this month, Defoe confirmed he was close to a move to Bournemouth.
He said: "It’s out there, a lot of people obviously knew, I did a medical and said when this is finished and I’ve had a break, come July everyone will know anyway.
"Two and a bit years at Sunderland, I enjoyed my time there, it’s not nice when you get relegated, I don’t think its fair on the Sunderland fans to come out so soon after they’ve been relegated and say ‘yeah, I’m signing for someone else’.
"It’s too soon to put it out there. At the right time, I would like to say ‘this is the club I’ll be playing for’."