Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe's scheduled groin operation may now not take place at all, manager Harry Redknapp said today.
Redknapp watched on as Peter Crouch netted a hat-trick and Defoe also found the net in Wednesday night's 4-0 win over Young Boys at White Hart Lane which secured Spurs' passage to the Champions League group stages.
Defoe was scheduled to have an operation next Tuesday, with an expected absence of two to four weeks which would have ruled him out of England's European Championship qualifiers against Bulgaria and Switzerland and possibly Spurs' Barclays Premier League games against West Brom and Wolves.
But the 27-year-old, who has been dogged by the problem since the World Cup, gave a positive assessment of his injury after Tuesday's match and Redknapp today said Spurs will assess the problem again after tomorrow's match with Wigan.
"Now he feels okay so there's a chance it may not happen," said Redknapp, whose side will meet Inter Milan, Werder Bremen and FC Twente in Group A of European club football's elite competition.
Redknapp added: "We'll see how he is tomorrow. If there's no pain tomorrow then he won't have to have the op.
"If he feels it tomorrow then we'll get the op done."
Meanwhile, the Spurs boss reiterated his interest in Sevilla's Luis Fabiano, but admitted the Spanish club's valuation of the 29-year-old Brazil forward is a sticking point.
"I think the chairman has enquired," said Redknapp. "He's a player that I like.
"But I think they're talking crazy money for a player that age.
"In excess of £25million, that wouldn't stack up."
