"Woody's out in America still. I don't know if we'll get him back before the end of the season," manager Harry Redknapp said at the Premier League club's training ground on Friday.
Woodgate has returned to the United States to spend a month with a specialist in a bid to solve the nagging injury that has restricted him to only two league games this season.
With Ledley King suffering with a chronic long-term knee problem that limits his appearances, Redknapp is looking to bring in another central defender in the transfer window.
Redknapp's cash-strapped former club Portsmouth are looking to sell players and Tottenham are discussing a deal to bring former defender Younes Kaboul back to White Hart Lane.
Tottenham are already in talks about signing Portsmouth's Bosnia goalkeeper Asmir Begovic as back-up for Heurelho Gomes.
They are also assessing the fitness of Spartak Moscow's Croatia keeper Stipe Pletikosa, who is coming over to see the club's medical staff before the window closes.
The 31-year-old, Croatia's first-choice, damaged cruciate ligaments in training in August and needed surgery.
"There's a deal there (for Kaboul)," said Redknapp. "I've been speaking to (Portsmouth manager) Avram (Grant). Avram said, 'We need to sell them Harry because ... otherwise we're in trouble'.
"We're not trying to buy him on the cheap," added the Spurs manager. "We're paying whatever the going rate is for him."
Moving the other way is Spurs midfielder Jamie O'Hara, who is going back to Portsmouth to continue the loan spell he began at the start of the season and will stay for the rest of the campaign.
Tottenham also confirmed the arrival of Monaco's ex-Chelsea and Barcelona forward Eidur Gudjohnsen on loan for the rest of the season having beaten West Ham United to his signature.
