HARRY Redknapp admits that Jonathan Woodgate's Tottenham future is likely to be decided during pre-season as the Spurs boss prepares to enter the transfer market. The centre-back was one of a number of players who reported to Spurs...

By Ben Pearce

HARRY Redknapp admits that Jonathan Woodgate's Tottenham future is likely to be decided during pre-season as the Spurs boss prepares to enter the transfer market.

The centre-back was one of a number of players who reported to Spurs Lodge this week, having spent most of 2010 abroad in an increasingly desperate bid to save his career from a long-term groin injury.

The 30-year-old centre-back only played three games for Spurs last season, totalling less than 200 minutes, and his last appearance came in the historic 9-1 win over Wigan Athletic back in November.

Now Redknapp admits that his patience is running out. And, as he focuses on improving his squad, he concedes that he cannot gamble on Woodgate's availability any more.

"Jonathan Woodgate's been out, he's been to America and then Australia for about five or six months. He comes in [this week], he's not going to join in with us but he's going to be with the fitness coaches," said the Tottenham manager.

"We've really got to monitor him and see where he's at because it's been a year now for Jonathan and he's really got to be coming back and playing now.

"If he doesn't, if he's not going to be back pretty soon, he's got big problems, so it is an area [that we're looking at]. Sebastien Bassong did well for us last year so we'll see how we go."

Woodgate's fitness is likely to determine whether Redknapp moves for another centre-back. Palermo's Simon Kjaer has been a long-term target for Spurs, but the Danish international is on his way to Steve McClaren's Wolfsburg.

Redknapp is weighing up an audacious move for Manchester City defender Micah Richards, but he is also eyeing reinforcements at the other end of the field.

The Tottenham manager has high hopes of landing Joe Cole and 17-year-old Ipswich striker Connor Wickham, and he is also mulling over a permanent deal for Eidur Gudjohnsen, who is certain to be joining a Premier League club this summer.

"I feel we've got enough good quality players. I'm still looking to maybe get one or two, and one or two are going to want to leave," said Redknapp. "There'll be one or two who are not in the side and don't see their future at Tottenham.

"To be honest we've looked at a couple of the Uruguayan boys - [Edinson] Cavani, [Luis] Suarez, [Diego] Forlan even. Forlan's had an excellent World Cup. They talk about him wanting to come back to England and he's probably got a good two or three years in him still.

"The only problem is I would think his wages might be too expensive, but the front three players for Uruguay are all decent players.