Spurs boss Harry Redknapp insists Jonathan Woodgate will not be joining rivals Arsenal.
Press reports had claimed that Arsenal were looking to bring in the Spurs central defender.
Asked about a potential deal with Arsenal, Redknapp confirmed: “No, not a chance. We wouldn’t let him go there.”
“We want to keep him,” said Redknapp – admitting that Spurs would look at giving Woodgate a new deal, with his current contract due to expire in the summer, if he could prove his fitness.
“He’s out of contract in the summer so if we let him out on loan, then we’re not giving him away unless he signs a new deal before he goes.
“And you couldn’t do that right now in case he breaks down. He needs to stay here and see how it goes and if he’s okay, we can sit down at the end of the season and give him a deal for next year.
“But it would have to be heavily loaded as a pay-as-you-play deal.
“I love Jonathan but you can’t keep paying wages to a boy who doesn’t play all year.
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“Jonathan’s been out of the team for two years but played 45 minutes against a QPR team Neil Warnock sent although I think they were waiters from the Shepherd’s Bush area.
“It wasn’t a great test but Jonathan’s doing well. He’s coming back and when he’s fit, he’s a top, top centre-half.”
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