Spurs - We've got Woodgate

Tottenham have signed England defender Jonathan Woodgate from Middlesbrough, the club have announced.

The clubs had earlier confirmed they had reached agreement for the 28-year-old who joined Boro from Real Madrid in August 2006, initially on loan with the move made permanent in April 2007.

Woodgate has made 19 league appearances for the Teesiders this season.

The details of the deal have yet to be announced but Woodgate is likely to cost Juande Ramos' side in the region of £7million.

Newcastle had also made enquiries about the player regarding a return to St James' Park but Magpies boss Kevin Keegan last week admitted his chances of signing Woodgate had faded.

Boro manager Gareth Southgate, who has the likes of Emanuel Pogatetz, David Wheater and Robert Huth available as cover at centre-half, explained that he agreed to sell Woodgate because his head had been turned by the chance of a transfer.

Southgate told www.mfc.co.uk: "You're looking for everyone at your club to want to be here and be part of it.

"We wanted to give Jonathan the opportunity to speak to other clubs because when clubs call you about a player it usually means the player knows about it anyway.

"We were then asking a question a Jonathan - do you want to be here and be part of what we want to do or do you want to head off?

"It seems he wanted to head off."