Spurs striker Defoe out for six weeks

Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe has been ruled out for six weeks with an ankle injury, the club’s manager Harry Redknapp revealed yesterday.

Defoe suffered the injury in the second half of England’s 3-1 victory over Switzerland in a Euro 2012 qualifier in Basel on Tuesday.

The former West Ham star was seen using crutches and wearing a protective boot on his right foot at Spurs’ training ground after returning from Switzerland and Redknapp has confirmed the problem is serious enough to sideline his leading forward until well into October.

“Even if it’s a bad sprain, you’re still talking about six weeks or so, because it’s a nasty one,” Redknapp said.

Defoe had looked in fine form after scoring a hat-trick in England’s 4-0 victory over Bulgaria last week, but he will now miss several league games and the club’s Champions League ties against Werder Bremen and FC Twente.

His problem comes just days after Tottenham defender Michael Dawson suffered a knee injury, on England duty against Bulgaria, that has ruled him out for eight weeks.