Spurs had been favourites to sign England international Peter Crouch but Redknapp concedes that injuries to Michael Dawson, Jonathan Woodgate and Ledley King mean a move for a defender has now become his priority.

Redknapp revealed that King "hasn't kicked a ball all pre-season" after his long-term knee injury flared up again on his return from the summer break.

Woodgate has been sent to a specialist in America to look at a groin injury while Redknapp also revealed that former Nottingham Forest defender Dawson will miss the start of the season with an Achilles injury.

The three injuries have left Spurs without one fit recognised central defender with the Premier League season due to start in under four weeks.

"We weren't thinking of buying anyone in defence but suddenly this problem has come up all of a sudden and it leaves us short," said Redknapp.

"Suddenly your priorities change and you think maybe we'll have to do something about getting a centre half in for the start of the season because we have no central defenders."

Portsmouth are thought to be keen to offload Crouch for £12million. Earlier this week Sunderland pulled out of the race for the striker, who is reportedly unwilling to leave the capital.

Redknapp says he would like to bring the player to White Hart Lane but admits resolving his defensive problems is his main priority.

He also insists any move for the 28-year-old must represent value for money.

"I like Crouch but at the moment I have four good strikers so it's not really a priority for us," said Redknapp, who signed the England striker while he was manager at both Southampton and Portsmouth.

"He's a good player and most teams would like to have him but the whole package looks expensive to me.

"We're not desperate at the moment for strikers. It's an awful lot of money for a 28 or 29 year old.

"No disrespect to him but it's an expensive deal because there's no return when you pay that type of money and obviously his salary is high so I don't know if it is possible for us to do that deal."

Redknapp had been keen to overhaul his squad this summer but has only so far brought in Sheffield United defenders Kyle Naughton and Kyle Walker.

But the former Portsmouth boss is not worried about the lack of transfer activity at White Hart Lane this summer and was quick to dampen speculation linking both David Beckham and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar with a move to Spurs.

"I admire him (Beckham) as a person and a professional but that's not an area I'm looking to strengthen," Redknapp said.

"Aaron Lennon plays for me and has been in great form and David Bentley plays there as well.

"Huntelaar is a great player that interests us but I think it's another one that's beyond us."

One player who Redknapp insists will not be leaving Spurs is midfielder Jermaine Jenas, who had been linked with Aston Villa.

"I've never heard a thing about Jermaine Jenas. Martin O'Neill has never spoken to me about it," the Spurs boss said.

"I don't want to sell him, he's a terrific player."