Tottenham Hotspur have made contact with Middlesbrough regarding Jonathan Woodgate, although the North London club are expected to face competition from Newcastle United for the centre half. Kevin Keegan is a known admirer of the 28-year-old – he handed him his England debut in 1999 – and may attempt to take him back to St James’ Park.

As of yet, no bid from Newcastle has been forthcoming, but Keegan is understood to have taken soundings from associates of Woodgate, who spent 20 months on Tyneside before signing for Real Madrid for £13.4 million in 2004. There are unconfirmed suggestions that the defender has become unsettled at his hometown club, even though he joined them on a permanent basis only last year.

After his successful loan spell on Teesside last season, Woodgate’s form has dipped and while he has been troubled by cramp and hamstring injuries, Gareth Southgate’s team have appeared more assured without him.

The return to fitness of Robert Huth and Emanuel Pogatetz have been supplemented by the superb form of David Wheater, whose emergence from the club’s academy has more than compensated for Woodgate’s inconsistencies and frailties. Middlesbrough have not encouraged suitors and there has been no official word from Newcastle, but any offer would be considered.

Sam Allardyce had also been monitoring Woodgate’s form and Keegan made reference to Newcastle being obliged to sign “awkward” players this week. It is a category into which Woodgate, who has had off-field difficulties, falls. “In this area, we’re not always going to get the very best,” Keegan said. “We sometimes get the ones with warts and all.”

The approach from Tottenham, which was made on Tuesday, is intriguing, given that Woodgate becomes the third Middlesbrough player to be targeted by the club during this transfer window. Having had little luck in pursuing Adam Johnson and Stewart Downing, they have turned to Woodgate as they seek cover for Ledley King.

While they have been credited with an interest in Shola Ameobi, the Newcastle striker, Middlesbrough hope to sign Fred, of Lyons, and Afonso Alves, his fellow Brazil striker whose purported transfer from Heerenveen to AZ Alkmaar was declared void by Dutch authorities last night. AZ claimed they had a signed agreement with Alves, delaying his move to Teesside, but their case has been dismissed.

Alves has met Southgate and negotiated personal terms with Middlesbrough. Although a fee has to be determined, a sum of about £11 million has been mentioned. Alves, 26, has scored 48 goals in as many matches in all competitions for the Eredivisie club over this season and last. He would, however, require a work permit.

Goran Pandev, the Lazio forward, insisted yesterday that Newcastle have made a bid for his services. The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia player has been at the Italian club since 2004 and his versatility would make him attractive to Keegan, who has said that his team lack creativity.

“This morning the club told me about an offer from Newcastle,” Pandev said. “I am used to [receiving] offers recently, but I don’t decide, so it’s not up to me again. Several days ago we agreed with Lazio that I would stay until June, but anything is possible.”