Tottenham legend Jermain Defoe names Arsenal hero as one of the best players he has faced in the Premier League
The Cherries striker reveals the greatest players that he has come up against throughout his 17-year run in the top-flight
JERMAIN DEFOE finally reveals the top five players that he has played with or against during his career in the top-flight of English football.
One he only ever played against, two were colleagues at West Ham and two were team-mates from his time at Tottenham.
It will come as no surprise that when speaking to the , Defoe was quick to include Thierry Henry among the rankings.
The Gunners‘ all-time leading goalscorer was only ever on the opposition side, but former Spurs shooter Defoe was quick to praise their rival’s striker.
“For me, one of the best players to play in the Premier League.
“I played at Highbury. I was really young and I remember after the game I said to Thierry, ‘can I have your shirt?’.
“And I thought he’d forget. But he actually came to the changing rooms, he had already signed it. Then he gave it to me – that was a special moment.”
Former Hammers team-mate Paolo Di Canio was also included in Defoe’s top five ever players.
The Italian is now a football manager, but during his playing career he made over 500 league appearances and tallied over 100 goals.
“He was unbelievable, Little bit mad, but if you took that away from him then he probably would not have been the same player,” he said.
The final striker that Defoe hailed, which initially came as a shock, was Dimitar Berbatov.
“For me he was special. I have never really seen anyone like him,” Defoe added.
In terms of defenders, Rio Ferdinand and Ledley King made the exclusive top-five list.
“For me he was number one,” Defoe said in regard to former Tottenham pal Ledley King.
Defoe claimed that former United skipper Ferdinand “had everything.”
