With work now seriously underway to prepare for 56 and the UCL, Jermain Defoe has revealed to insiders the condition that will swing his decision on a new contract – fans.

Defoe was expected to retire this summer, purely down to age and a potential transition into coaching at Ibrox, but due to Covid the veteran hitman has been unable to play out a final season in front of the fans, and wants to bow out having entertained the crowd one last season.

The 38-year old is still widely regarded as the best pure finisher at Ibrox, by some distance in fact, and while he can hardly play every match nowadays, he clearly has looked after himself like a true pro and probably has a bit of time left in the legs.

And there was just no way he wanted to quit the sport having not played out his last games in front of thousands of fans.

Indeed, Defoe is likely to accept the extension so he gets another season, and a final chance to ply his trade with full stadium capacity in Govan.

With Covid, we don’t know exactly when the rules will be lifted to allow full crowds in again – the idea is being trialled around the country in test events with smaller groups, but in terms of 50,000 we couldn’t tell you.

But either way, Defoe is eager his career doesn’t stop in front of empty terraces.

Understandable.