Rangers forward Defoe accepts player/coach role

38-year-old to go on to play game but to assist first-team manager Gerrard in new season as well

By Can Erozden

ANKARA (AA) - Scottish champions Rangers' Jermain Defoe on Tuesday signed a new contract with his club to assume the player/coach role.

"Jermain Defoe has today agreed a new, one year contract with Rangers Football Club and now moves into a player/coach role," Rangers said in a statement.

The 38-year-old forward will continue to play the game but he will start to assist first-team manager Steven Gerrard in the 2021-22 football season.

"I am absolutely delighted to be retaining the services of Jermain both as a player, and now also as a coach," Gerrard said.

"So to get the deal over the line, I am just delighted. It is something I wanted to happen, even before the season finished, especially the way we finished the season with winning the league," Defoe said to express his joy for his new role at Rangers.

Defoe previously played for several English clubs such as West Ham United, Tottenham Hotspur, Portsmouth, Sunderland, and Bournemouth.

He scored 32 goals in 72 matches for Rangers.

Defoe helped Rangers win the 2021 Scottish Premiership title.

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