Jermain Defoe has officially rejoined Bournemouth, 16 years after first signing for the club as a teenager on a season-long loan from West Ham.
The transfer was struck back in May, but the Cherries had to allow Defoe’s Sunderland contract to expire before rubber-stamping the whole hoo-ha.
The 34-year-old has signed a three-year deal worth around £20million in wages, which is pretty darn steep for a man approaching middle-age…
🙌😀
He’s back! @IAmJermainDefoe officially signs three-year deal and joins from @SunderlandAFC.
➡ https://t.co/tXkEuVBH0e#afcb 🍒 pic.twitter.com/NGh1jwN7t4
— AFC Bournemouth 🍒 (@afcbournemouth) June 29, 2017
🔥⚽#ThrowbackThursday – 12 goals in ten consecutive league games. Who remembers? 🙃#afcb 🍒 pic.twitter.com/xe3j2yz3aT
— AFC Bournemouth 🍒 (@afcbournemouth) June 29, 2017
Bournemouth manager Bright Young Eddie Howe heralded Defoe’s arrival as a “huge moment” for the club, who are also on the verge of shelling out another £20million to secure the permanent signing of Chelsea defender Nathan Ake, who spent 2015/16 on loan at the Vitality Stadium.
Bless ’em. This is Bournemouth’s first proper taste of Premier League riches and they’ve gone a bit wappy with it.