Tottenham set to offer Ledley King "a job for life"
Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp wants the club to offer Ledley King a job for life and insists his skipper is worth every penny even if he can play only 50% of matches.
King, whose contract runs out at the end of next season, has a chronic knee problem that prevents him from playing matches in quick succession - but Spurs have a better record with the 28-year-old in the team.
"If you get 20 games out of Ledley he's worth a fortune, he's that good," said Redknapp, who will be without King against Middlesbrough in Wednesday's Barclays Premier League clash as he played 120 minutes of the Carling Cup final on Sunday.
Redknapp has given part-time coaching jobs to former Spurs players Les Ferdinand and Tim Sherwood and feels King should be accommodated if he wants to stay at the club after he retires.
There is no suggestion of that happening soon as the centre-back has learned to manage his injury by resting during the week then assessing his fitness on the eve of a game.
"As far as I'm concerned, as long as he's capable of playing games and as long as I'm here, I want Ledley King here for sure," Redknapp said.
"He deserves that, he means so much to the club. He came here as a schoolboy and is part of this club, you'd like to think he'll be part of this club for many years to come - as a player and then who knows from there.
"He deserves to be looked after and I'm sure the chairman will look after him and he is part of everything we do."
For different reasons, David Bentley's future has also appeared uncertain after an inconsistent season - but Redknapp insists the midfielder has a future at White Hart Lane.
