Jermain Defoe to undergo groin surgery next week

Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe will have an operation on a groin injury next week that will keep him out of England's Euro 2012 qualifiers. The 27-year-old will still be available to play in his club's Champions League tie against Young Boys on Wednesday. But the injury, which Defoe has suffered since the World Cup, means he could be out for up to a month.England kick off their European qualification campaign against Bulgaria and Switzerland on 3 and 7 September. Defoe missed Tottenham's trip to Stoke last Saturday because of the problem and will sit out the club's upcoming Premier League games against West Brom and Wolves. 

But although Spurs boss Harry Redknapp said he would be out for a minimum of two weeks, the forward could play some part in the crucial Champions League qualifier against Swiss side Young Boys in which the London club trail 3-2.  He could also be available for the Premier League match at home to Wigan this weekend before he goes under the knife. Redknapp said: "It might only be half a game he can last now, but it's getting less each time - the pain's getting worse. "He wants to play and train all the time but he's got to have it done now. He can't go on like that." 

Defoe had been due to have the operation last Thursday but the German specialist who recently performed a similar operation on team-mate Alan Hutton was unavailable until next week. Redknapp added: "He's not trained a lot. When he has trained, he's been all right, he's been sticking goals in. "But then he's had days off where he couldn't train and he's getting worse, he's getting worse all the time. Sixty minutes is about as much as he can last."