Connor Wickham, who played for several top English clubs, including Crystal Palace, Leeds United, and Cardiff City, was once beaten by Drake's bodyguards, according to legendary Premier League forward Jermain Defoe.
It has been claimed that Wickham was pounced upon by the singer's entourage after asking for a selfie.
Drake's bodyguards were displeased with Connor Wickham approaching the Canadian musician for a picture in the gym.
Defoe termed the incident as “the funniest thing”, but we are unsure of the scar it might have left on the Englishman.
Wickham is said to have met Drake whilst they were working out during a preseason trip to Toronto with Sunderland, a club the English striker represented from 2011 to 2015.
Jermain Defoe reminisced about the incident on his podcast, named “Football Firsts”, with Troy Deeney alongside him, and he claimed:
“When I left Toronto and went to Sunderland the next pre-season they came back to play us.
“So when we went back with Sunderland to Toronto we had loads of free time. I remember being in my room, you know Connor Wickham?"
Defoe played for Toronto FC in 2014, and he expressed that he got acquainted with Drake, with the singer calling him after signing for the Canadian club.
He shared that after his time with Toronto FC and his subsequent move to Sunderland, the team went to Toronto for a preseason trip.
The 41-year-old said that he was in his room and then Connor Wickham gave him a call and narrated his ordeal.
Defoe said: “Bro Drake is in the gym so I go and take a picture. His bouncers obviously grabbed him up.
"I said, ‘What?’ I said, ‘I’m coming down’. So as I’ve come down to the lift he’s obviously gone. He’s fuming, he’s sulking in the bus.
"So I go and I see Drake, he’s eating the weights. So, I’m laughing, I say, ‘What happened?’ He said, ‘Nothing, this guy comes…’ I said, ‘Yeah, that’s one of the boys’. He goes, ‘Ah, I’m sorry man. Tell him we’ll take you out. Where do you want to go, bluh bluh bluh’.
Jermain Defoe added that he was asked by Drake if he was on the preseason trip with the rest of the Sunderland squad.
Defoe continued: “He said, ‘Are you here with the team?’ I said, ‘Yeah’. It was the funniest thing. And then I go to the bus and I saw [Whickham], he’s like a little kid.
"[He said] ‘He grabbed me up. All I wanted was a picture’. I said, ‘Connor, you can’t do that though. That’s Drake. In Toronto you can’t just approach him and try to get a picture’."
Jermain Defoe and Connor Wickham played together in 2015 at Sunderland in 17 matches.
Wickham has made 297 appearances, scoring 63 goals and providing 19 assists in all competitions.
The 30-year-old has had a wishy-washy career, and he is currently a free agent after exiting Cardiff City in the summer of 2023.
It has been claimed that Wickham was pounced upon by the singer's entourage after asking for a selfie.
Drake's bodyguards were displeased with Connor Wickham approaching the Canadian musician for a picture in the gym.
Defoe termed the incident as “the funniest thing”, but we are unsure of the scar it might have left on the Englishman.
Wickham is said to have met Drake whilst they were working out during a preseason trip to Toronto with Sunderland, a club the English striker represented from 2011 to 2015.
Jermain Defoe reminisced about the incident on his podcast, named “Football Firsts”, with Troy Deeney alongside him, and he claimed:
“When I left Toronto and went to Sunderland the next pre-season they came back to play us.
“So when we went back with Sunderland to Toronto we had loads of free time. I remember being in my room, you know Connor Wickham?"
Defoe played for Toronto FC in 2014, and he expressed that he got acquainted with Drake, with the singer calling him after signing for the Canadian club.
He shared that after his time with Toronto FC and his subsequent move to Sunderland, the team went to Toronto for a preseason trip.
The 41-year-old said that he was in his room and then Connor Wickham gave him a call and narrated his ordeal.
Defoe said: “Bro Drake is in the gym so I go and take a picture. His bouncers obviously grabbed him up.
"I said, ‘What?’ I said, ‘I’m coming down’. So as I’ve come down to the lift he’s obviously gone. He’s fuming, he’s sulking in the bus.
"So I go and I see Drake, he’s eating the weights. So, I’m laughing, I say, ‘What happened?’ He said, ‘Nothing, this guy comes…’ I said, ‘Yeah, that’s one of the boys’. He goes, ‘Ah, I’m sorry man. Tell him we’ll take you out. Where do you want to go, bluh bluh bluh’.
Jermain Defoe added that he was asked by Drake if he was on the preseason trip with the rest of the Sunderland squad.
Defoe continued: “He said, ‘Are you here with the team?’ I said, ‘Yeah’. It was the funniest thing. And then I go to the bus and I saw [Whickham], he’s like a little kid.
"[He said] ‘He grabbed me up. All I wanted was a picture’. I said, ‘Connor, you can’t do that though. That’s Drake. In Toronto you can’t just approach him and try to get a picture’."
Jermain Defoe and Connor Wickham played together in 2015 at Sunderland in 17 matches.
Wickham has made 297 appearances, scoring 63 goals and providing 19 assists in all competitions.
The 30-year-old has had a wishy-washy career, and he is currently a free agent after exiting Cardiff City in the summer of 2023.