Tottenham Hotspur Football Club News

• Nickname:Spurs
• Founded:1882
• Manager:Harry Redknapp

• Ground:White Hart Lane
• Capacity:36,240

Harry: Defoe can top charts

22 Aug 2009 - 10:56:42

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Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp believes in-form striker Jermain Defoe can end the season as the Premier League's top goalscorer.

Defoe netted three blistering goals to help Spurs to a 5-1 victory at Hull City in midweek to follow on from two strikes as a substitute in England's friendly in Holland.

And Redknapp hailed the pacey 26-year-old, insisting he can go on to score over 20 goals this term.

"He's up with the best when he is playing like he is now. He's so sharp - he's lethal," said the Spurs boss.

"He is capable of scoring 20-odd goals and it's about time he did.

"With Ronaldo gone he can be pushing to be the top scorer.

"He's come back stronger this year and looks even quicker with the power he has built through working with the fitness coaches in the gym."

Defoe missed out on selection for the 2006 World Cup in Germany, but Redknapp believes he should be as automatic a choice for Fabio Capello's 2010 squad as Wayne Rooney.

"It's up to the England manager, and it's a long way until the World Cup, but Jermain is the man in form at the moment," he added.

"He's got to play well because Peter Crouch is waiting to get in. He is a player England need badly for the World Cup."

Redknapp reassured Crouch that he will receive game time after arriving in the summer for Portsmouth.

"We've got four top strikers," he said.

"It's difficult when you have top players like Peter and Roman Pavlyuchenko. They are not used to not playing and I understand that. They will play."