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Woodgate set for shock start as King faces surgery

Jonathan Woodgate could be on the verge of making a dramatic return from injury © Getty Images

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Harry Redknapp is considering taking a 'massive gamble' and handing Jonathan Woodgate his first start for the club since November 2009, as Ledley King undergoes surgery on a groin injury.

Woodgate will definitely be involved in Spurs' squad for the trip to Blackburn Rovers on Wednesday - the same day King will go under the knife to repair a long-term problem. But Redknapp confirmed that he is considering throwing the 31-year-old straight into the starting lineup at Ewood Park, and is 'dreaming' of seeing him immediately play to the level that once saw him win England caps and play for Real Madrid.

"It's a gamble: for me, for the club, for Woody for sure," Redknapp said. "He's not played a game yet [since returning from injury] but he's in my mind. He's such a fantastic player and I'm dreaming that he can come in and be somewhere near what he was straightaway. It's not going to be easy, but I'll have to think about that today.

"He'll be involved somewhere, but I've got him in my mind to throw him in at the deep end. I'll think about it [starting him] today and see how he looks this morning, but it's a big ask for him."

Woodgate's potential return is partly through necessity. Fellow central defender Michael Dawson is suspended after being sent off at the weekend against Fulham, while both Younes Kaboul and William Gallas are injury concerns. King is definitely out, and Redknapp warned he could be a long term absentee for the club.

"Ledley will have an operation. He is nowhere near ready to play," he confirmed. "We'll have to wait and see what happens with that."

Tottenham were quiet on deadline day, failing to bring in any new faces - although Redknapp did admit the club made a bid for Blackpool's Charlie Adam that simply came too late for the deal to be completed.

"It was about 20 to 11[pm]," Redknapp said. "I popped in to have a bit of pasta, got a phone call but it was too late. The deadline was coming, it was just 20 minutes away. It was too difficult. He's a good player, he would have been a good player for us if we could have gotten him but it was too late. It was impossible."

The former West Ham and Portsmouth boss also confirmed that a late offer for Phil Neville was dismissed by Everton.

"I don't blame David [Moyes] for not letting him go," he said. "We've been interested in him for the last six weeks or so, to lose him on the last day would have been difficult to replace him. You've got to keep hold of your best players and he's a good player for them."

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