King, 27, sat out the final two months of last season to get ready for the new campaign but was not 100% for the trip to Middlesbrough and was on the bench, with hopes he can feature against Sunderland this weekend.

Ramos accepts his captain needs to prepare for matches differently and may need late checks to make sure his knee is ready, which was not the case a week ago.

"He was possibly not quite right," Ramos said.

"The thing about Ledley is that he has a particular way of preparing for games, we look after him in a certain way physically and we have to take it on a match-by-match basis as to whether he is going to feature, depending on how he feels physically.

"He has trained well on Wednesday and Thursday without any negative reaction and we'll see how that impacts ahead of Saturday's game against Sunderland."

Ramos added: "His knee is not something you can predict a month ahead or a season ahead, it is something we need to look at short term."

King has suffered injury frustration for two years, with his original problem being a metatarsal complaint that ruled him out of England's 2006 World Cup.

He underwent a knee operation that summer and another after the following season, with a by-product of surgery being inflammation to the joint as he recovered from games.

After suffering problems with both of his feet and also a slight hip complaint, he played just 10 times last season - but is guaranteed a starting place when 100% fit.

"It's like having a Rolls-Royce in the garage," Ramos said.

"Ledley is the type of player who would walk into any side, he is a top-notch player, he's got great qualities and when he is fit he plays. When we can play him we line him up.

"He's a player who unfortunately throughout his career has had injury problems, it's a tragedy really.

"Football is like that, there are footballers who suffer injuries and the game is so demanding physically today that you can't possibly put players in your side unless they are 100% fit or very close to it. That has sometimes been the case with Ledley, unfortunately.

"He is a key player on the field but off the field he is a character as well and important as a leader in the group.

"So we have to do as much as we can to make sure he is fit but we also have to keep a close eye on how his injury is progressing. It is important we don't take any risks at all with his fitness in putting him in when he isn't right."

Former Spurs players Steed Malbranque and Pascal Chimbonda could feature for Sunderland at White Hart Lane, but Teemu Tainio is set to miss the clash, with Ramos looking for his opening win of the season.

Ramos is yet to finalise his squad for the season and is looking for a forward and a defender, although he would not turn down a player in the mould of Sunderland boss Roy Keane.

Ramos said: "I never played against Roy in his playing career but I am aware of what he achieved in his career, playing at a high level all the time.

"Any team would like a player of his personality and character in their team."