Redknapp: Tottenham loan target must prove fitness in training

CROATIA international goalkeeper Stipe Pletikosa is training with Tottenham as the club monitor his knee before deciding whether to offer a season-long loan deal. Pletikosa was due to sign for Spurs last summer...

By Ben Pearce

CROATIA international goalkeeper Stipe Pletikosa is training with Tottenham as the club monitor his knee before deciding whether to offer a season-long loan deal.

Pletikosa was due to sign for Spurs last summer but suffered a serious knee injury and, having been on the verge of joining the Lilywhites again for the last few weeks, Tottenham still have concerns over his long-term fitness.

"Yes he's here with us," said manager Harry Redknapp. "He's had a bad knee, and so I think he's just going to spend a week or so with us and train to see how his knee is, but we were looking to take him on loan.

"It's not a trial, I wouldn't want to say that, it wouldn't be fair. He's a Croatian national goalkeeper and he's a good keeper, it's just to see how his knee is really because he has had a big operation on his knee.

"He feels okay but we just thought 'well let's have a look at him for a week and if he is okay we'd look to take him on loan for the season'. He'd be good, and I think we're going to need three experienced keepers here."

Meanwhile, Redknapp has revealed that Jonathan Woodgate has been to see yet another specialist in a bid to solve the groin problem that continues to threaten his career.

"Jonathan Woodgate is still long-term, he's been to see a specialist, hoping that we can finally sort out his problem," said Redknapp.

"It's a long job for Jonathan, he's been out for such a long time. He's been to America, been to Australia, and he's desperate to play again. It's just such a shame for such a talented footballer and a great lad that he's just got this injury that no-one can quite seem to solve. We've been to another specialist and hope that he can come up with the right answers.