Jermain Defoe, Jozy Altidore Reportedly Set for Sunderland-Toronto Transfer Swap

Sunderland are set to complete the signing of Toronto FC striker Jermain Defoe, an agreement which will reportedly see Jozy Altidore head the opposite way.

Continue for updates.

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Defoe Arrives in Sunderland To Complete Transfer

Thursday, Jan. 14.

Keith Downie of Sky Sports tweeted an image highlighting Defoe's presence in England, suggesting his transfer is inching closer to completion:

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Defoe-Altidore Swap Reportedly Agreed

Wednesday, Jan. 13.

According to Gareth Wheeler of TSN, a deal has already been agreed to by Sunderland and Toronto:

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Multiple Major League Soccer sources confirm Jozy Altidore will be a Toronto FC player.

Toronto FC completed a swap move to bring Altidore back to MLS Tuesday with Jermain Defoe going the other way to Sunderland AFC.  MLS insisted Altidore go through the allocation process upon re-entry back into the league. 

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Sunderland are reported to have offered Defoe £70,000 per week to join their battle against relegation, noted by Scott Wilson of The Northern Echo.

It is claimed eight Premier League teams have confirmed their interest in the former Tottenham Hotspur striker, but it's Gus Poyet's men who look to have made the breakthrough. Sky Sports report Defoe has passed his medical ahead of his move:

Wilson believes Defoe has "verbally agreed" to head to the Stadium of Light at this point, but there's no doubt he would be a useful capture for the side. The 32-year-old is a proven scorer at the top level and has enjoyed a decent run of form with Toronto.

Defoe has netted 11 times and provided two assists in 19 appearances for the Major League Soccer club, per WhoScored. During his previous season in England, he scored just one Premier League goal after making three starts, but fired four in eight Europa League appearances for Spurs. The clinical forward notched 11 in each of his two domestic league seasons before this, however.

A marker of Defoe's quality can be seen below:

Wheeler believes the process of Altidore joining Toronto is a complex one due to his previous displays for New York Red Bulls.

The American has to go through an "allocation process" to play in MLS once more, with the Canadian club standing sixth in the allocation rankings. This means the sides above Toronto—Montreal, San Jose, Colorado, Chicago and Houston—could hijack the deal if they wish to sign the player. Altidore's old club could also have a say.

"This adds an intriguing wrinkle; if MLS head office wants Altidore in New York, they can make it happen," noted Wheeler. "As sensational as it sounds, MLS could in fact play a role in Altidore landing elsewhere despite the swap deal agreed upon by Toronto FC and Sunderland."

Stu Forster/Getty Images

Altidore has failed to impress in the Premier League, becoming something of a bit-part player under Poyet's tutelage. He has scored just one goal in 42 appearances for the side, recorded by WhoScored, failing to replicate the prolific form he showed for Dutch side AZ Alkmaar between 2011-13.

He is likely to be a solid investment at the age of 25, though. Altidore is a powerful hold-up player who is capable of setting attacking moves in motion with his back to goal. He is likely to be given greater space to operate in MLS and will be confident of regularly hitting the back of the net for Greg Vanney's side. If, of course, he is allowed to join the team.

U.S. men's national team coach Jurgen Klinsmann hopes Altidore will one day play in the Champions League, but admits MLS is a good solution to the player's recent struggles for form, reported by Grant Wahl of Sports Illustrated:

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With Jozy, I just say it would be nice if I would see him one day in the European Champions League. Because I think he’s a Champions League player. He has that potential, the talent to do so.

Now if there is no solution in Europe for him, if the next solution for him is MLS, that’s totally cool with me. I have no problem with that.

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Mark Runnacles/Getty Images

Even so, Klinsmann would like to see the striker succeed in one of Europe's top divisions:

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But from a competitive standpoint, it’s normal that a coach wishes that his players go to the highest level possible. Which would be in his case the Bundesliga or Serie A or La Liga or even the French league, if it’s not the Premier League right now.

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Both Defoe and Altidore are set to benefit from the switch. The latter has the quality to still make a difference in the Premier League. Sunderland lack a regular goalscorer—only Aston Villa have tallied fewer goals this season—and desperately need a natural finisher.

Toronto will want to replace the player who has improved their chances of success, while Altidore will be hoping the lesser intensity of MLS can kickstart a return to form.