TORONTO --
Could Jermain Defoe be headed back to England already?
Tim Bezbatchenko, general manager of Toronto FC, didn't rule out the possibility when asked on Sunday about reports of the star striker's possible imminent transfer back to the Premier League.
"As far as I'm concerned, Jermain Defoe is with TFC," Bezbatchenko said. "It's important for Jermain to be here, because he is a great player. But if things change then we'll adjust."
Defoe has reportedly drawn interest from Queens Park Rangers, a club based in his hometown of London. The striker is currently back in England rehabbing a sports hernia, and Bezbatchenko admitted that there have been talks between TFC and an unidentified club.
"We receive offers all the time, especially for a player like Jermain," Bezbatchenko said. "We have received an offer and we have discussed it internally. I think that when you score as many goals as he has and you have the reputation and background that he has it's not uncommon to receive these offers.
"We've received, actually, multiple offers before over the course of this year. So I want to confirm that we're in talks, but we have a relationship with Jermain too. We're speaking with him and no decisions have been made. We'll discuss it over the next 24 hours."
Defoe has scored 11 goals in 16 MLS games with TFC, but he has also missed considerable time due to injury. In addition to his current ailment, the 31-year-old sat out the entire month of April with a hamstring injury.
A 55-times capped England international, Defoe signed a four-year deal with Toronto in January. He was introduced alongside fellow designated player Michael Bradley, who had also agreed to a big money move over the winter.
Earlier on Sunday, Toronto FC fired manager Ryan Nelsen after their 3-0 defeat to the New England Revolution on Saturday. Nelsen, who lured the likes of Defoe to Major League Soccer, departs with his team still in contention to make the playoffs, but it seems critical comments about Toronto general manager Tim Bezbatchenko after Saturday's defeat may have contributed to his departure.
Nelsen was unhappy with comments Bezbatchenko had made telling the team to "take it up a notch", claiming his players were being put under undue pressure, but it was the general manager who had the final word in this fight.
"Those comments (Nelsen made) were excuses, and we are not in the excuse business," Bezbatchenko said in announcing Nelsen's departure.
Greg Vanney, a former United States international who was serving as the club's assistant GM, will take over, the club said.
Toronto invested heavily in their squad ahead of this season, with Defoe brought in along with United States international Michael Bradley, and sit fourth in the Eastern Conference.
FOXSoccer.com's newswire services contributed to this report.
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