Defoe tipped to join Aston Villa after major Rangers development – Glasgow expert
Frank McAvennie claims Steven Gerrard will try and bring Jermain Defoe to Aston Villa.
The former West Ham hitman, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, predicts the move will happen at the end of the season.
As quoted by Sky Sports on 29 November, Giovanni van Bronckhorst confirmed Defoe, 39, would only be a player after a shakeup of the coaching staff.
The 39-year-old was handed a role as a player-coach after agreeing a new one-year deal at Ibrox on 8 June.
McAvennie claims Defoe could be the perfect place for Defoe to continue his development as a coach.
“I can see Gerrard coming back for Defoe,” Glasgow-based McAvennie told Football Insider correspondent Ben Wild.
“He was happy to have him on the staff at Rangers, so he clearly trusts him.
“That won’t have been done as a favour to a mate or anything. This is Rangers we’re talking about.
“Gerrard clearly rates him highly and I see no reason why he wouldn’t go to Villa when his contract expires.
“All the things I said in the summer still apply. For a striker, who better to learn from?
“He knows the Premier League so well too. It’s a bit like Gerrard, he will command respect.
“He can be a real asset to Villa, just like he is at Rangers. I can see this one happening.”
Defoe joined Rangers on an initial 18-month loan from Bournemouth back in January 2019.
He has scored 32 goals for the club in 76 appearances but has had only eight minutes of senior action this season.
In other news, pundit claims Gerrard may freeze big-name Aston Villa star out all season.