Sat May 13, 2017 6:49 am
JERMAINE DEFOE CLAUSE RILES MOYES
13/05/17
Sunderland boss David Moyes has insisted he would never have allowed striker Jermain Defoe to have the clause in his contract which means he can leave for free in the wake of relegation.
The 34-year-old striker, who could play his final home game against Swansea on Saturday, is currently assessing his options as the Black Cats prepare for life back in the Sky Bet Championship.
Moyes is hoping he decides to remain on Wearside, with potential suitors already forming an orderly queue. However, the Scot has admitted his surprise that the club agreed to the clause when he signed a contract extension in June last year.
"We hope Jermain stays,” Moyes said. “Everybody at the club wants him to stay, all the supporters want him to stay, but it has to be Jermain's decision what he does.
"Yes, there's a clause in the contract, which is hard to take, I think. I would hope that in my time, if I had been the manager, I wouldn't have allowed a clause like that to be in there.
"But it is, and obviously we have to honour the contract."