Nelsen hopes to persuade Defoe to move to Canada.
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Toronto FC boss Ryan Nelsen has confirmed that he would love to bring Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe on board to ply his trade at the club, Sky Sports reports.
The former New Zealand international has just completed his first season as coach of the Canadian side and is already preparing for the next campaign after a disappointing ninth placed finish in the Eastern Conference this year.
And one of the names at the top of his wish list is that of Jermain Defoe, who has played just once for Spurs this season, and Nelson has admitted that he is a fan of the player since getting to see him up close during his own short spell in north London.
However, when asked about where bringing the England international on board was a possibility he replied: “That’s not a serious question, is it?
“Jermain Defoe in this league? Look what [Marco] Di Vaio has done! My goodness – incredible player.
“One of the most natural goalscorers I have ever come across. Always out training, always trying to score, a great guy.
“To get a guy like Defoe for the MLS, I cannot think of many that are more suited. I think if you ask most Premier League teams, they would take Defoe.”
Nelsen confirmed he stays in touch with Defoe, adding: “It would be incredible. I call him and text him all the time.
“Him playing in Toronto would be phenomenal. If you look around the world and try and think of a realistic player – and I am not sure how realistic he is – that complements a league like ours, never gets injured, doesn’t drink, can play high, low, scores all sorts of goals – do you know something I don’t? Can you go over and sell it to him?”
The World Cup next summer is likely to impact on the MLS season, and with Defoe very much hoping to be a part of the England set up to travel to Brazil, that could throw up a considerable problem to Nelsen’s hopes.
However, he happens to feel the opposite.
“We want them in as soon as possible,” Nelsen said.
“If we have to pick [from] A and B, and A is coming in January and B is coming in August, it’s January. [Toronto would take] a good DP that’s going to score x amount of goals over a great DP [Designated player] who will come in August. Look, the team wants to get to the play-offs.
“Look, if we have World Cup stars, just missing for a few weeks, that would be pretty good!”