Keegan waits in the wings for Woodgate

But with Woodgate at Rockliffe Park yesterday morning completing a scheduled physiotherapy session, doubts have emerged as to whether the Teessider is willing to leave his native North-East for London.

And with Newcastle boss Kevin Keegan last night confirming that the Magpies have an interest in the England international, sources close to Woodgate have suggested the defender would prefer to move to St James' Park than White Hart Lane.

However, with the transfer window due to close on Thursday, Newcastle will have to move quickly if they are to wrestle ahead of Tottenham in the race for Woodgate's signature.

After being given permission to open contract talks with Woodgate on Thursday night, Spurs chairman Daniel Levy tabled a formal offer yesterday morning.

The bid, which was in excess of the £7m Boro paid to sign the 28-year-old from Real Madrid in August, was accepted, and Woodgate was expected to travel to London to begin personal discussions with the Spurs board last night.

However, while Levy has been in contact with the defender's representatives in the last 24 hours, he has not spoken to Woodgate himself.

The former Leeds centre-half has not travelled south and is not expected to hold face-to-face discussions with Spurs officials this weekend.

Given that he will also need to pass a detailed medical before he signs at White Hart Lane - something Tottenham are demanding as a result of his protracted injury problems during previous spells at Newcastle and Real Madrid - yesterday's inactivity has thrown Woodgate's Spurs move into doubt.

And while Newcastle are reluctant to match Tottenham's £7.5m offer, the Magpies' ongoing pursuit could yet prove successful.

Woodgate is known to have enjoyed his 19 months on Tyneside between January 2003 and August 2004, and having relished his return to the North-East since joining Middlesbrough on loan in August 2006, the Teessider is keen to remain in the region.

Newcastle would offer that opportunity, and Keegan last night spoke glowingly of the leadership qualities Woodgate could bring to the Magpies ranks.

Keegan gave the defender his England debut against Bulgaria in 1999, and is desperate to sign at least one experienced centre-half before the transfer window swings shut in five days time.

"At the moment, he (Woodgate) is one of a number of players we have talked about," said the Magpies manager, ahead of his side's FA Cup fourth-round tie at Arsenal this afternoon. "We are concentrating on players from this country who fit our criteria.

"When you get around to the realistic targets, there are not many of them. I have no comment on it (the Woodgate speculation), but I am not surprised others are interested.

"He is a great leader. He is 28, I gave him his England debut and I know him well. If he goes to Tottenham he will be a fantastic signing for them."

Woodgate will not be involved in Middlesbrough's FA Cup fourth-round clash at Mansfield this afternoon and the Teessiders hope to have his future resolved by the time Wigan travel to the Riverside Stadium for a Premier League relegation battle on Tuesday night.

Boro could also have completed the capture of Afonso Alves by then, but yesterday brought no breakthrough in the club's negotiations with the striker's current employers, Heerenveen. Further talks are planned for this weekend, with Boro officials refusing to match the £13.4m fee AZ Alkmaar had agreed to pay for the Brazil international. With Alves insisting that he will not play for Alkmaar, the Teessiders would appear to be in a strong negotiating position.But with the 26-year-old unlikely to earn a work permit at the first time of asking, the clock is ticking if Boro are to complete a deal before the transfer window closes on Thursday night.Stewart Downing is now likely to remain a Middlesbrough player beyond that point, as Tottenham have shelved their interest in the left winger while they pursue Woodgate and a number of other transfer targets that include Rangers full-back Alan Hutton.Boro boss Gareth Southgate will spend the second half of this weekend working on transfer matters of his own but, today, the Boro boss will be focusing his undivided attention on an FA Cup trip to Field Mill. Mansfield are currently 91st in the Football League rankings and, last weekend, the Stags slumped to a one-goal home defeat to Darlington.Two seasons ago, however, Middlesbrough struggled to a 1- 1 draw against non-leaguers Nuneaton Borough, and having conceded an all-important penalty in that game, Southgate will be taking nothing for granted this afternoon. "I remember that game at Nuneaton well," he said. "It's a reminder that nothing is set in stone in football."We have to make sure our attitude is right because, if it isn't, Mansfield will take advantage."We have to go there, be professional and do a good job. "I'll be picking as strong a team as I can. "There might be one or two changes from the last game, but it won't be a case of making wholesale alterations to the team."Today's starting line-up will include David Wheater, formerly a loanee at Darlington, and Mark Schwarzer, a player who spent a season at Bradford City, and Southgate feels his side's experience of life in the lower leagues will stand them in good stead."We all started somewhere, and sometimes that's forgotten," he said."People think of the Premier League as a place full of prima donnas, but we've all played at places like that. "A lot of our lads are used to playing at grounds like Mansfield's."