Redknapp, who has already had a big turned down for West Ham's Craig Bellamy, has revealed that he has a "very short list" of players he wants to target when the transfer window opens.

Defoe is a player Redknapp knows from West Ham and Portsmouth, and the Spurs boss said: "It's not finished but if they don't want to sell him it's up to them, I'm not going to upset the applecart.

"If they say 'we'll have that' then we can do something. If they say 'we don't want to sell him' then it's end of story."

As well as a striker, Redknapp also wants a left-sided midfielder and a reserve goalkeeper, with Middlesbrough's Downing falling into the first category.

"If they want to sell him and the chairman can agree a fee - great," Redknapp said. "If not, forget it."

Redknapp, who has a track record of shrewd January buys, added: "You get agents calling up offering players and it would only cost you your job if you took them.

"I know exactly what I want and it is a waste of time calling up for anyone else. I have a very short list of players that interest me and if we can get them then great.

"We've made enquiries about one or two players but the prices we've been quoted are too much money and I wouldn't put my name to the chairman paying too much money.

"I know what they are worth and I wouldn't pay any more. If we can't get them we'll sit tight - we've got good players here."

In the meantime, Redknapp could look at his fringe players such as Adel Taarabt, who he describes as a "genius".

The French youngster was not even given a squad number under former Juande Ramos but he is set to be given his chance and is in the squad for Friday's FA Cup clash against Wigan.

"If we can get him playing he is a genius," Redknapp said. "He's an amazing talent, I've not seen too many with that type of skill in my life. It's frightening.

"It's a case of trying to find a position for him and getting him fit enough to play. Getting him to do a bit when he hasn't got the ball - but he's only a kid.

"This is a real talent. A match-winner. So I'm sure we're going to see a bit of him in the next couple of weeks."

With only three senior strikers at the club, Redknapp has also lined up Roman Pavlyuchenko and Darren Bent in training in an attempt to build a partnership between the pair.

"It has to work because we only have three strikers," Redknapp said. "They have to play together. It's something we have to do because there is no-one else here."

Redknapp also has Giovani dos Santos back in training but Tom Huddlestone is out with an ankle injury and Jermaine Jenas' calf makes him a doubt.

Skipper Ledley King will not feature against Wigan and Redknapp has to decide whether to field him against Burnley next week in the Carling Cup semi-final or save him for Spurs' Barclays Premier League relegation battle.