Toronto FC reportedly completes Jermain Defoe for Jozy Altidore swap with Sunderland

The Jermain Defoe-Toronto FC transfer saga has finally reached its conclusion.

Defoe's destination is English Premier League club Sunderland, with U.S. men's national team forward Jozy Altidore and a undisclosed transfer fee coming to Toronto. The swap was first reported by Gareth Wheeler of TSN. The Canadian Press confirms the sale of Defoe but adds that "Altidore's return to MLS will have to go through the league's allocation process which governs the return of players to the league."

It came clear Defoe was poised for a move back to England after just one year in MLS. Rumours of his impending exit date as far back as August. According to the Toronto Sun, the 32-year-old striker will sign a three-and-a-half year deal with Sunderland that will pay him over $120,000 per week. Defoe scored 11 goals in 19 games during the 2014 for Toronto FC but he was plagued by a nagging groin injury that kept him off the field for much of the second half of the season.

Altidore, 25, arrives as Defoe's replacement up front. A regular in the United States side, Altidore has struggled since joining Sunderland before the 2013-14 season, scoring just one goal in 42 appearances. He was much more succesful at his previous club, AZ Alkmaar of the Dutch Eredivisie, where he potted 39 goals in 67 games between 2011 and 2013.

Should the allocation process go to plan, Altidore would occupy one of Toronto FC's three designated player spots joining Michael Bradley and Gilberto. Leander Schaerlaeckens writes at FC Yahoo that the New Jersey native will thrive with his new team:

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Israel Fehr is a writer for Yahoo Canada Sports. Email him at israelfehr@yahoo.ca or follow him on Twitter. Follow @israelfehr