The News has run this story today and claimed that Defoe has promised that he'll stay at Fratton Park but this is hardly the case. All the England striker has said is that he's happy at the club and "why would I think about leaving?" without answering that rhetorical question.
It's good that he has praised the manager and has shrugged off all of the inevitable speculation surrounding his future but he's hardly going to come out and say that he hates the manager and as soon as Redknapp comes calling that he'll be off to re-join the club he never wanted to leave in the first place, is he?
I hope what he says is true but West Ham fans have already warned us about his disloyalty when he immediately asked for a transfer request after the Hammers were relegated in 2003, and that is the reason he'll be booed at Upton Park on Saturday.
We'll see just how happy he is to stay when January arrives and Redknapp inevitably comes sniffing around. Here's hoping Jermain can restore a bit of faith in football and resist the temptations of leaving.