‘Imagine’ – I could have played in all-star Juventus lineup but made Tottenham transfer decision instead
03/24/2025 08:46 AM
Jermain Defoe revealed he was close to joining the legendary 2000s Juventus side before his return to Tottenham Hotspur.
Defoe spent the majority of his career terrorising Premier League defences up and down the country, scoring 162 top flight goals in a stellar career.
Things could have turned out differently for the 57-cap England international.
Prior to his January 2009 move from Portsmouth back to north London, an agent told Defoe that Juventus were interested in acquiring his signature.
He left Tottenham in January 2008 after nearly four years at the club to join Pompey.
In his 12 months stay he netted 18 goals and assisted five times in 36 matches.
A good stretch of form that attracted the eyes of Juve scouts and head coach Claudio Ranieri, who later went on to win the 2015-16 Premier League at Leicester City.
"I got a phone call before I went back to Tottenham in I think 2008," Defoe said in an interview with WhoScored. "I remember my agent phoned me and said to me Juventus are interested.
"If Tottenham doesn’t get over the line would you want to come to Juventus?"
The star-studded Juventus 2008 side also included Gianluigi Buffon, Giorgio Chiellini, Ballon d'Or winner Pavel Nedved, Claudio Marchisio and Alessandro Del Piero.
It was particularly Del Piero that Defoe marvelled about being his potential strike partner.
"Imagine," he added. "You talk about forwards you'd love to play with, but actually, he played in Soccer Aid last year, and it was just like—wow. As a young centre-forward, growing up watching players like that, an iconic figure."
Despite such a star studded team the Old Lady could only manage a second place finish behind Inter Milan in 2008/09.
Prior to that season the club had won successive Serie A titles in 2001/02 and 2002/03.
Defoe remained at Tottenham Hotspur for five more years until his move to the MLS to play for Toronto in February 2014.
He did return to the UK in the following winter transfer window to play for Sunderland, AFC Bournemouth and Rangers.
During the 2000s Italian league developed into arguably the most competitive European league as the years went on, proven by the legendary Inter Milan and AC Milan stars.
Inter was home to players such as Javier Zanetti, Ronaldo and Samuel Eto'o.
They won five consecutive league titles between the 2005/06 and 2009/10 campaigns.
Milan had David Beckham, Ronaldinho, Clarence Seedorf and Paolo Maldini, eventually winning the title in 2010/11.
However it was Juventus who had the last laugh as they claimed nine league titles in a row from the 2011/12 and 2019/20 seasons.
