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TORONTO -- After weeks of rumour and speculation about his future in MLS, star striker Jermain Defoe presented his side of the story Wednesday. Bottom line? The 31-year-old English international is happy to be back in Toronto and any transfer talk was out of his hands. Toronto FC has acknowledged turning down a franchise-record bid for Defoe at the closing of the summer transfer window and the talk did not stop there. Such speculation, said Defoe, is part of football and players have no control over offers from other clubs. "In England, its normal -- where theres speculation about players leaving, players going ... At the end of the day Im still a TFC player and Im totally committed to the cause," he told a news conference Wednesday, his first public comments since returning from England where he had been nursing a groin injury. "For me it was sort of like Oh here we go again," he added. "It was just normal. I didnt really pay too much attention to it because I think my main focus was trying to get fit. People that know me, they know I love playing football and I find it really it difficult to be on the sidelines. Especially at such a crucial time, pushing for the playoffs. I want to be involved, I want to score goals, I want to push the club forward." It was a polished 17 1/2-minute solo performance from Defoe, sitting at a table in front of a sizable media corps in the upstairs lounge at TFCs training centre. Defoe had shrugged off help from handlers in advance, saying he knew what he wanted to say. "I never came out anyway and said I wanted to leave," Defoe, tattoos peeking out from a black T-shirt above jeans, said by way of summary. One suspects Defoes agent did not sit on his hands during the transfer window and who can blame him. Goal-scoring strikers are always in demand and Defoe has ties to the likes of Queens Park Rangers manager Harry Redknapp. Still Defoe single-handedly managed to stuff the transfer genie back into the bottle, at least for a while. "I dont know whats going to happen in the future. All I can say to the fans is Im fully committed," he said. And with a salary listed at US$6.18 million this season, not to mention a reported list of perks that would do Van Halen proud, the five-foot-seven striker is not exactly roughing it on this side of the Atlantic. He is back but not yet fully healthy. Defoe ran Tuesday, only the second time since the injury, and said there was no negative reaction. He did some work in the gym Wednesday and hopes to be back in full training Monday. An Oct. 4 game against the Galaxy in Los Angeles seems the first possible return date. He said patience is the key, given he had made the mistake of coming back too fast in the past. Toronto (10-11-7) could use him. With six games remaining, the seventh-place team is three points out of the Eastern Conference playoff picture. Defoe has missed 12 games this season through injury or suspension but still leads the team in scoring with 11 goals in 16 MLS contests. He has played 150 minutes, appearing in two of TFCs 11 league games since July 19. If anything, he says he wants more football. He said going out on loan to another club to keep sharp for the next MLS season was not out of the question, with Redknapp having already made the suggestion. "Its something Ive thought about doing before I come back, so Im ready to go and Im sharp and Im fit," Defoe said. Given his recent health problems, which have been blamed on playing back-to-back English and MLS seasons, adding to his football schedule would seem to be a gamble, however. He himself acknowledged he had played 14-15 months straight "Again I love my football and Ive always tried to look after my body. Im someone whos tee-total, I dont drink, I always do my stuff in the gym." Defoe insisted he has enjoyed his North American experience, calling it amazing. "I think Im lucky enough to be at a fantastic football club with special fans. Ive said that many times. And theres some fantastic people at the football club. From Day 1, I walked into the changing rooms, the players downstairs, all the boys have been fantastic. I think that helped me settle in and I felt at home. "Its then just down to me to get on the pitch and perform. I love scoring goals. I love playing football." There have been no shortage of stories about Defoes future on either side of the Atlantic and some made their way through to Defoe despite his best efforts. "I just tried to blank it out," he said. "Obviously you see things on the TV. Social medias powerful when you see things. But I just tried to block it out and just concentrate on getting myself fit so I can come back and push for the playoffs." Some stories left a mark. The former West Ham, Portsmouth and Tottenham striker made a point of denying one story that had him texting former manager Ryan Nelsen to say "If youre gone, Im gone." "Thats not true," said Defoe. "Thats hard to sit back and read something like that when I know thats not true. I would never do anything like that." Defoe said he went back to England to get a second opinion on a lingering groin injury. An initial scan had shown a strained adductor and a lower abdominal muscle strain. He kept playing though it and it got to the point, where he could feel it while running and it was sore shooting. A second scan showed the same. Fearing he had a hernia, he went to see a specialist and was a day away from going under the knife. Instead he went to a physio he had worked with before in England and was told the problem related to his hip. He had several injections, did rehab and worked on strengthening his core. "It feels a lot better," he said. Since returning, Defoe said he had met with manager Greg Vanney and came away "really impressed" by what he heard. As to comments from outgoing MLSE CEO Tim Leiweke that he did not expect Defoe to be back next season, Defoe said Leiweke had reached out to say "he didnt mean it like that." Timo Werner Germany Jersey . The 49ers, 6-2 and riding a five-game winning streak following the bye week, also waived cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha and activated cornerback Eric Wright from the reserve/non-football injury list. Manningham made 42 receptions for 449 yards and one touchdown in 12 games and 10 starts last season before injuring his left knee in a loss at Seattle Dec. Sebastian Rudy Jersey . Louis Blues, having added Ryan Miller and Steve Ott from Buffalo, remain the No. http://www.germanysoccerpro.com/Manuel-Neuer-Germany-Jersey/. Today, their baseball playing sons were reportedly traded for each other. According to the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Cubs dealt minor league outfield Trevor Gretzky to the Angels for catcher Matt Scioscia. Joshua Kimmich Jersey . The 22-year-old Spanish midfielder recently signed a new three-year contract with Chelsea, and after spending last season on loan with Valencia in La Liga, Romeu will move to the Bundesliga for the 2014-15 campaign. Julian Draxler Jersey . -- Without Carey Price, the run for a first Stanley Cup in 21 years got steeper and longer for the Montreal Canadiens.WASHINGTON -- Federico Higuain scored twice to help Columbus open the season with a 3-0 victory over D.C. United on Saturday night in Gregg Berhalters first game as the Crews coach. Jairo Arrieta also scored in the Crews third straight victory over United, this one coming despite the suspension of 2013 scoring leader Dominic Oduro. United extended its league winless streak to 13 games. The Washington teams last league victory was at home against Montreal on Aug. 3 of last year, although it did also win the 2013 U.S. Open Cup. Columbus sccored twice in nine minutes, going ahead in the 18th when Arrieta stuck a one-time finish past goalkeeper Bill Hamid after reaching Josh Williams cross.dddddddddddd Replays showed Arrieta stayed behind the ball -- and thus onside -- until Williams cross was hit. Higuain scored in the 27th on a penalty kick after referee Andres Pfefferkorn ruled Uniteds Perry Kitchen pulled down Michael Parkhurst inside the penalty area. Higuain scored again in the 90th on a one-time finish after a perfect cross from substitute Justin Meram. ' ' '