Kristjaan Speakman details Sunderland’s recent transfer pursuit

Sunderland sporting director Kristjaan Speakman has told the SAFC Unfiltered Podcast that the club looked into signing Jermain Defoe as far back as last summer. 

The 39-year-old finally completed his much talked about return to the Stadium of Light in the dying hours after the deadline had passed and will now be looking to make another lasting impact for a club that has a very special place in his heart.

Defoe had previously been a free agent after leaving Glasgow Rangers and was linked with several Football League sides before he committed to making a sensational return to the North East.

Speaking about the club’s pursuit of the veteran goalscorer, Speakman was quick to reveal the following details:

“We were seriously looking at the option of bringing in Jermain last summer, obviously Rangers won the league and did really, really well. At that point there was a question mark of what he was doing.

“I think naturally we remained in that position after all the success that was happening up there, so we enquired at that point.”

Defoe previously struck 37 goals in 93 games during his last stint with the Black Cats and will now be aiming to fire his side to promotion after signing a deal until the end of the season.

He will certainly add to their attacking options after the injury that was suffered by Nathan Broadhead late last year.

The Verdict

There has always been a feeling that Defoe had unfinished business at Sunderland, so now he has the chance to come in and make another big impact for the club that embraced him as one of their own last time out.

He will certainly get chances to score goals in this side because of their creativity and is a very smart signing at this stage of the campaign.

His age should not be a