Hometown hero, Jozy Altidore is set to return to his Major League Soccer roots.
According to Boca Raton Tribune sources, Toronto FC has agreed to send striker Jermain Defoe to Sunderland AFC in exchange for U.S. Men’s National Team striker Jozy Altidore and cash considerations.
TSN, who also broke the news earlier in the day, has said the cash consideration Toronto will receive is believed to be significant.
After just one season in MLS, Defoe is set to sign a three and a half year deal with Sunderland worth $129,000.
Defoe had a stellar start to his MLS career, scoring eight goals in nine starts, but after being left out of England’s World Cup squad, Defoe’s production began to decline due to a nagging groin injury. Defoe finished the season with 11 goals in 19 appearances.
For Altidore, a return to MLS might be just what the USMNT striker needs to get his groove back.
Drafted with the 17th overall pick by the MetroStars (now Red Bulls) in the 2006 MLS SuperDraft, the 25-year-old spent two and a half seasons in MLS, scoring 15 goals in 37 league appearances before La Liga side Villarreal splashed $10 million to sign the then-18-year-old.
While Altidore undoubtedly struggled in his stints in England (one goal on loan to Hull City in 2009-10, three goals with Sunderland from 2013-15), Altidore found the back of the net 51 times in two seasons for Eredivisie side AZ Alkmaar, the club he was with before moving to Sunderland.