Music: {allcanada} REPORT: TFC REJECTS MULTIPLE DEFOE OFFERS, STRIKER TO STAY

Monday, September 1, 2014

{allcanada} REPORT: TFC REJECTS MULTIPLE DEFOE OFFERS, STRIKER TO STAY

ESPN Fantasy Football / Yahoo Fantasy Football

Jermain Defoe appears to be staying put.

Toronto FC has reportedly rejected multiple transfer bids to send the striker back to the England, according to Toronto Sun reporter Kurtis Larson.

London-based Queens Park Rangers were believed to be one of the club's interested in adding Defoe prior to the closing of the European transfer window at 5pm et.

Defoe, who signed a four-year deal with TFC in January, is the club's leading scorer for 2014. He has netted 11 goals in 16 league games with the team, good for a share of fifth in the MLS scorers' table.

The 31-year-old Defoe has battled injuries this season and has missed four of the club's last five games nursing a groin injury.

The club used Defoe as the anchor of a large-scale marketing campaign to promote it's revamped roster heading into the 2014 season. The team labeled the addition of Defoe from BPL club Tottenham Hotspur “A bloody big deal”.

The news comes amidst a turbulent month for the club.

On Aug. 21 Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment CEO Tim Leiweke announced he would be leaving the organization within one year. Leiweke, who was billed as the architect of a new future for many of Toronto's sports franchises was one of the driving forces behind FC's 2014 revamp that saw Defoe come to town along with U.S. international Michael Bradley and the early-season loan of Brazilian netminder Julio Cesar.

Then, on Sunday, head coach Ryan Nelsen was dismissed along with five assistant coaches. Nelsen's dismissal came a day after he publicly criticized general manager Tim Bezbatchenko for calling out the team prior to a 3-0 Saturday loss to New England.

Bezbatchenko responded the next day by firing Nelsen and his lieutenants and appointing Academy Director Greg Vanney as the ninth head coach in club history.

With the news of Nelsen's dismissal, however, came rumours that Defoe could be the next to go.

Bezbatchenko admitted in a press conference that the club was considering an offer for their top scorer. While he would not get into details at that conference, he would elaborate afterwards to TSN soccer analysy Kristian Jack.

“We are in regular contact with QPR and with Jermain and we're figuring out what's best for both the player and for TFC," he told Jack in a 1-on-1 following Vanney's introduction.

"He has over-delivered [on my expectations],” Bezbatchenko said of Defoe's 2014 performance so far. “He's been a consummate professional.”

He added that any move made to send Defoe out of Toronto would be done only in the best interests of both the player and the club.

CBS Sports Fantasy Football / Official NFL.com Fantasy Football