TORONTO - Toronto FC continues to field calls on Jermain Defoe but, barring the right offer, expects the English striker to report back for duty Jan. 17. A string of English Premier League teams, most in the lower end of the standings, has been linked to the 32-year-old forward but most have seemingly balked at the cost given his wages and transfer fee. Toronto appears willing to sell him at the right price but is not interested in a loan. TSN Soccer Analyst Luke Wileman is reporting that Defoe is training with his old club, Tottenham Hotspur, and will continue training for at least the next week following off-season groin surgery. General manager Tim Bezbatchenko makes no apologies for playing hardball. Its expensive to get a reliable striker who has experience, he said in an interview Thursday. Jermain, for me, when theres a dearth of talent out there, in the January transfer window theres few players that have the pedigree that Jermain has. So it doesnt surprise me that they are after him. But theres a market value for every player. Should someone come with an offer, then obviously wed have to entertain it but right now teams are trying to be clever and of course theyre going to say what theyre going to say to try to get the best deal for themselves. But were not buying. Toronto, it appears, will have no issue with keeping a healthy, motivated Defoe. Jermain, when he wants to play, we think hes a top-three player in the league, Bezbatchenko said. Noting the addition of assistant coach Robin Fraser, who worked with Thierry Henry and Tim Cahill at the New York Red Bulls, Bezbatchenko said were creating an environment that someone like Jermain, I think, can thrive in. The English transfer window closes at the end of the month. Toronto has given permission to Defoe, returning from a groin injury, to train with his former club Tottenham. The one-week training period began Thursday. The club can confirm that Jermain Defoe will train with our development squad for the next week in order to maintain his fitness during the MLS close season, Spurs said Thursday on its website. Toronto manager Greg Vanney called it another preparation step. As of now we look forward to having him here the 17th. Nothing else has changed on any of that side, Vanney told reporters Thursday. Vanney was also not surprised by the interest in Defoe. Hes a good striker and everybody is looking at him. But right now hes with us and we expect right now thats hes back. Because nothings been changed in any of the discussions that have been had. Defoe scored 11 goals in 16 league games for Toronto in an injury-interrupted debut MLS season in 2014. Just touched down in the UK from south of France, was training with my fitness guy feeling stronger than ever! #Ready, Defoe tweeted earlier in the week. His future in Toronto has been up in the air since the MLS club turned down a franchise-record transfer offer at the end of the summer transfer window. Defoe is expected back earlier than most other TFC players because of his injury rehab. The rest will arrive for medicals Jan. 24-25 with the first on-field session Jan. 26. Should Defoe return as planned, Toronto will have a full complement of strikers with Brazils Gilberto, Luke Moore, Robbie Findley, Bright Dike and Jordan Hamilton. Well have to figure out what the best pairing is, said Vanney. Thats what its going to come down to for me. Vanney spoke highly of Findleys work ethic and suggested the eight-year veteran will come to camp with something to prove after a limited role last season with Real Salt Lake. Gilberto, meanwhile, is looking to report in better shape this season than last, with Vanney saying the Brazilian DP got an eye-opener when he arrived last year unfit after a lengthy layoff. He knows that and he felt that was contributing factor to a slow start for him in getting goals, the coach said. I do believe hell show up a lot more motivated and he understands what the challenges are within the league now. He wants to be strong when he gets here. Toronto is one of several MLS clubs said to be interested in U.S international forward Jozy Altidore, currently with Sunderland. Vanney clarified the clubs position somewhat Thursday, saying Toronto is interested in any marquee player returning to the league. Any time a big-time player is coming back to the league, we want to be in the discussion, he said. Theres a lot of mechanisms that have to go in place for a lot of those things to happen ... who knows where that ends up? Were going to be there if theres a discussion to be had. That would be said of any other player who comes back that can add to our roster and make us a better team. With Altidore reportedly looking for designated player status, something would have to give on the Toronto roster with three DPs currently under contract. ——— Follow @NeilMDavidson on Twitter. Will Shields Jersey . Dane Dobbie had four goals and two assists, Karsen Leung had two goals and two assists, and Matthew Dinsdale scored two and helped on another for Calgary (6-3). Shawn Evans and Jeff Shattler had eight-point games with a goal and seven assists apiece, and Jon Harnett and Geoff Snider also scored. Cam Erving Jersey . -- Jacksonville Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew practiced in a limited capacity Friday, a positive sign he might be able to play against the Tennessee Titans. http://www.customchiefsjersey.com/custom-lesean-mccoy-jersey-large-1436n.html . -- Michael Bennett gambled last off-season that playing on a one-year deal in Seattle would pay off in the future with the long-term contract he always wanted. Chris Jones Jersey .Y. - Islanders forward Anders Lee has been fined $2,286 by the NHL for elbowing St. Christian Okoye Jersey . - After spending the morning in the hospital, Logan Couture gave the San Jose Sharks the spark they needed.RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil -- The world players union on Friday accused World Cup organizer FIFA of failing to protect Uruguay midfielder Alvaro Pereira after he played on following a hard blow to the head that he said felt "like the lights went out." Pereira lay motionless after colliding with Raheem Sterlings knee in the 61st minute of Uruguays 2-1 victory on Thursday. Even though he appeared like a punch-drunk boxer, Pereira ultimately was allowed to return in the 63rd minute. The union urged FIFA "to conduct a thorough investigation into its own competition concussion protocol which failed to protect Uruguayan footballer Alvaro Pereira." It asked for "urgent talks and immediate assurances that FIFA can guarantee the safety of the players." It also suggested possible rule changes so players suspected of being concussed can be temporarily substituted while theyre diagnosed. "Football is awash with incidents in which players suffer potentially concussive blows to the head and stay on the pitch. In Pereiras case, he demanded to play on, overruling advice from Uruguays team physician for him to be immediately substituted," FIFPro said in a statement. "FIFPro understands that in certain moments, faced by the pressures of such an important international stage, many players would react in this way. There are times, however, when the players also require greater protection against the prospect of making any rash decisions." As he slid for a ball just outside Uruguays penalty area, Pereiras temple inadvertently struck Sterlings left knee. "After the hit, I only recall that I was unconscious for an instant," he said. "It was like the lights went out a little bit." Teammates surrounding the motionless player signalled for a stretcher. Team medical staff came onto the field. Pereira wobbled to the sideline. Uruguay physician Dr. Alberto Pan signalled for a substitution. Pereira seemed to be having troouble maintaining his balance.dddddddddddd He argued and angrily wagged a finger to signal he didnt want to be substituted. "I said sorry a thousand times to the doctor because I was dizzy. It was that moment your adrenaline flowing in your body, maybe without thinking ... what I really wanted to do was to help get the result," the 28-year-old Sao Paulo FC player recalled. "What really matters is that everything is OK. Nothing happened. It was just a scare". Pereira said a team doctor and a FIFA physician checked him after the match. There was no immediate confirmation on whether he sustained a concussion, a subject that is slowly moving up the agenda in the sport. FIFPro said it would monitor Pereiras health on Friday. "He must be subjected to further evaluation and follow-up procedures that help determine if and when he can return to training," it said. The union said it also is considering appointing its own independent doctors "for all future FIFA competitions." "The World Cup must set the standard for player health and safety to educate the international football community. Medical evidence shows that a person faces the risk of very serious brain injury, or worse, if he or she suffers a severe head trauma from a concussive blow," FIFPro said. "Furthermore, FIFPro states any sideline concussion assessment must not be conducted solely by a national team physician. In order to ensure real independence, FIFPros involvement, as the international authority representing the interests of the players, would ensure they are insulated at all times." In the English Premier League, Tottenham came under scrutiny in November for an incident involving goalkeeper Hugo Lloris. Currently with the France squad at the World Cup, Lloris was allowed to play on after he was briefly knocked unconscious during a game after colliding with Evertons Romelu Lukaku, despite medical advice he leave the match. ' ' '