Cherries boss Eddie Howe to hold talks with Jermain Defoe over future

The 36-year-old frontman has been limited to just 22 minutes of Premier League game time this season and has not featured in the top flight since the start of November.

Crystal Palace and Sheffield United have been reported as potential loan suitors for the England international, while Defoe’s former club Sunderland have also shown an interest.

The veteran frontman could play a part when Cherries head to Wembley to take on his former club Tottenham on Boxing Day (3pm).

Asked whether Defoe would be part of his squad after the January transfer window, Howe replied: “It’s a difficult one to answer.

“I couldn’t give an absolute clear black and white answer to a lot of the players in the squad. The ones who aren’t playing regularly are very keen for football.

“I will have to sit down with Jermain and have that conversation.

“He is someone we hold in such high regard and has done such a great job here in many different ways.

“Even before the game against Chelsea, he was talking to Lys (Mousset) and giving Lys his experience and guidance. That for me is like gold dust.

“He has trained very well, his attitude and conduct has been first-class. Let’s wait and see.”

Defoe is yet to get off the mark for Cherries this season and struck four times during the previous campaign.

“I can sympathise with anybody who has shown the attitude he’s shown and isn’t playing regularly,” said Howe.

“His professionalism has been of the highest quality and I had no doubt that would be the case with Jermain – hence one of the reasons we brought him to the football club.

“Like any one of the squad, he’s desperate to play and feels he can contribute.

“He is still an outstanding player when I see him in training and what he has delivered is of the highest quality.

“The difficulty for me is I’ve got Joshua King, Callum Wilson and Lys, who was outstanding the other day. I have quality players vying for those positions and that’s what I want."