Defoe out for three months after ankle surgery

Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe will be out for up to three months after having surgery on torn ankle ligaments.

Defoe suffered the injury in England’s Euro 2012 qualifying win against Switzerland on Tuesday and it was initially thought he would be sidelined for only six weeks.

However, consultation with a specialist on Thursday showed the ankle damage to be worse than first feared, leaving the 27-year-old with no option but to have surgery that will keep him out until December.

A statement on Spurs’ website Friday read: “Following a review by an ankle specialist, Jermain Defoe underwent surgery to repair torn ligaments in his right ankle yesterday evening.

“The striker was forced off with the injury during England’s European Championship qualifier in Switzerland on Tuesday and has been ruled out of action for around three months.”

Defoe is likely to miss all of his club’s Champions League group matches against Inter Milan, Werder Bremen and FC Twente, a host of Premier League games and two England internationals against Montenegro and France.