According to a recent report from The Sheffield Star, Jermain Defoe could be set for a move away in the New Year. The 36-year-old currently plays his football at Premier League outfit Bournemouth and has done so since leaving Sunderland back in the summer of 2017, but just four league appearances for the Cherries so far this term leaves his future at the club far from certain.

And reports suggest that Chris Wilder’s Sheffield United are eyeing up a January move for the Englishman, as should Queens Park Rangers boss Steve McClaren, with Championship promotion very much on for the club were the Hoops chief to pull off another transfer masterstroke.

The Breakdown

Ultimately, the former England manager deserves great credit for turning things around at Loftus Road after a shocking start to the season, what with his side losing their opening four league matches, but now sitting tenth in the Championship and with promotion in their sights.

And much of that turnaround can be pinned down to the masterstrokes that were bringing Tomer Hemed and Nahki Wells to the capital on loan deals late on in the summer transfer window, with the duo having combined to score five times for the Hoops so far this term.

However, Hemed’s tally of three goals, which ties Eberechi Eze, Luke Freeman, and Pawel Wszolek atop the QPR goal-scoring charts, is a pretty lowly number for a top-scorer, which is perhaps reflected in the club’s tally of just 18 goals so far this term, the least of any team in the top 18 of the Championship table.

Thus, further attacking reinforcements appear necessary during the January window, and with rumours linking Defoe with a move away from Bournemouth, he’s the man McClaren must target in a bid to pull off another transfer masterstroke.

The 36-year-old has proven to be one of the most lethal and prolific strikers in English football throughout his career with an impressive 163 goals in the Premier League, excelling at West Ham, Tottenham, Portsmouth, and Sunderland to highlight his remarkable goal-scoring knack in the English top-flight.

Yet things have been something of a struggle at Bournemouth with just 33 appearances to show for the last 12 months or so, while the fact that he hasn’t started a league game under Eddie Howe this time round suggests a long season is in store for Defoe were he to remain on the South Coast.

Yet given it was just a few years ago in which he bagged 15 times for a struggling Sunderland side in the Premier League, and earned two England caps only last year, there remains a very adept striker in 36-year-old Defoe - one that could help any side in the Championship with their promotion bid.

And with QPR very much in contention after a fine few months, McClaren must seek to lure Defoe to Loftus Road, and thus reunite with a player he picked on many occasions for England during his ill-fated spell in charge of the national team.

Ultimately, promotion is very much doable for the Hoops this term, but it would very much be on if McClaren could pull off another masterstroke in landing Defoe come the New Year.

QPR fans… what do you think? Let us know!