Villas-Boas Gets Ruthless as Tottenham Plan Striker Clear-Out – Report

Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe fears that he may well be shown the door in January as the club continue to stall over talks for a new contract.

The north London club currently have four strikers on their books but there is a growing belief that both Defoe and Emmanuel Adebayor will be forced out of White Hart Lane when the transfer window opens in the new year.

Adebayor has fallen out of favour with manager Andre Villas-Boas and finds himself fourth choice as even the untested youngsters Harry Kane has been handed more opportunities than the former Manchester City striker.

It is largely expected that Tottenham will attempt to offload Adebayor in January and the Daily Mail report that Defoe fears that he may suffer the same fate.

The England international still has 18 months remaining on his contract but Spurs are yet to enter into negotiations despite renewing the contracts of teammates Kyle Walker and Andros Townsend.

Both Walker and Townsend are very much in the early stages of their career and are first team regulars, while Defoe has now turned 31 and is regarded as back-up to first choice forward Roberto Soldado.

Defoe has started just one Premier League game this season, the shock 3-0 home defeat to West Ham, but has excelled in the Europa League and the Capital One Cup.

He is in fact Tottenham's top scorer with eight goals but with the World Cup taking place next summer, Defoe may well need regular first team football to make sure of a place in Roy Hodgson's squad.

Toronto FC manager, and Defoe's former teammate, Ryan Nelsen has declared his interest in signing the striker but it is highly unlikely that he would be interested in moving to the MLS this season.

The Mail believe that Villas-Boas may well look to offload Defoe and Adebayor in order to being in another top class striker who can help fire the club to a top four finish and a place in next season's Champions League.