King undergoes knee surgery

Tottenham defender Ledley King has undergone a successful operation on his troublesome left knee, the club confirmed on Tuesday.

King, who managed just nine appearances for Spurs last season, underwent a minor arthroscopic procedure on his knee on Monday.

He is expected to return to training in August and should be fully fit in time for the English Premier League season, beginning August 13.

However, the 30-year-old will miss Tottenham’s pre-season tour of South Africa, which begins on Wednesday.

“The defender is expected to rest for up to 10 days before progressing to full activity within a further 10 days,” a statement on Tottenham’s website read.

Bu the lack of a full pre-season will be a significant concern to King and Tottenham’s medical staff, given the central defender’s history of chronic knee injuries.

Spurs boss Harry Redknapp last year lamented that King was doomed to suffer recurring soft-tissue injuries as he was limited in mid-week training by his knee.

That was certainly the case in the last campaign, in which King was hampered by a niggling groin complaint that eventually required surgery in February.

The 30-year-old is out of contract at the end of the 2011/12 season and will need to prove to Spurs that he should not suffer the same fate as fellow injury-plagued defender Jonathan Woodgate, who was cut loose from the club last month.

Woodgate was signed by Tottenham’s Premier League rivals Stoke City on Monday.