Striker Nears Exit as Villas-Boas Plots New Frontline - Report

Tottenham Hotspur are willing to offload striker Jermain Defoe since he does not fit into new manager Andre Villas-Boas' plans for next season, according to Goal.com. The report states Reading and Queens Park Rangers are leading the race to snap up the England international, who is valued at around £8mn by the north London club.

Defoe's departure will leave the club short of firepower up front as the 29 year old is the only recognised senior striker left in the ranks. Emmanuel Adebayor has returned to Manchester City after a season-long loan and Louis Saha was released by Spurs in the summer. Russian Roman Pavlyuchenko was sold to Lokomotiv Moscow in the January transfer window.

However, Tottenham are expected to complete a permanent deal for Adebayor soon, after the Togo international's impressive performances for them last season. The former Arsenal forward notched 17 goals and 11 assists from 33 league appearances. Meanwhile, Villas-Boas is reportedly looking for two young and versatile forwards to provide competition for Adebayor and has been linked with the likes of Brazilian Leandro Damiao, Marseille's Loic Remy and Atletico Madrid's Adrian.

Defoe scored 17 goals in all competitions for Spurs last season but managed only 11 league starts as he fell behind the other forwards in the pecking order. The player, who has repeatedly expressed his frustration at the lack of playing time, is also keen on a move away as he looks for regular first-team football to keep his place in the national team.

"In January I just wasn't playing enough and I did go to the manager [Harry Redknapp] and ask to go out on loan. He said to me, 'I don't want you to go out on loan. We are trying to do something special here. Don't go.' And so I stayed. And I worked hard to keep myself sharp. But still I haven't had that run of games," Sky Sports quoted Defoe as saying.

"It still feels like I will only get a game if someone is injured or suspended. Sometimes I even feel like I'm in the youth team, because I know that, whatever I do in midweek, I won't get a game at the weekend. I love the club. Everybody knows that. When I'm out and people ask whether I am leaving I always say no. But how can I stay somewhere that I don't get the chance to play?" the striker pointed out.

Defoe has spent nine seasons at Spurs during his two spells at the club and scored a total of 118 goals from 298 appearances in all competitions.