• Midfielder injured during pre-season game with Athletic Bilbao • Tottenham still on lookout for midfield reinforcements

This article is more than 9 years old

This article is more than 9 years old

Tottenham's £3m midfielder Steven Pienaar has been ruled out for up to six weeks after undergoing groin surgery.

The South Africa captain was forced to have the procedure after injuring himself in Spurs' final pre-season friendly, against Athletic Bilbao on Saturday.

"Following scans and consultation with an independent groin specialist, Pienaar underwent groin surgery this morning," the club said on their website. "He was forced off in the first half against Athletic Bilbao and is expected to be sidelined with the injury for up to six weeks."

That would rule Pienaar, 29, out of up to seven club games, starting with Saturday's Premier League opener against his previous club, Everton.

He would also sit out the meetings with Manchester United, Manchester City and Liverpool, as well as this month's Europa League play-off tie against Hearts, and Tottenham's opening group match, should they qualify.

Spurs appear well stocked in midfield but are still on the lookout for reinforcements, although they seem likely to fail in their latest bid to sign Real Madrid's Lassana Diarra, whose wage demands look likely to scupper any deal. The Spurs manager Harry Redknapp signed Diarra for Portsmouth in January 2008 and has made previous efforts to bring him to White Hart Lane.

Tottenham are reportedly willing to listen to offers for Jermaine Jenas and Wilson Palacios to make space for a new midfielder, but are refusing to countenance any bids for Luka Modric.