“He’ll fit in well with Son Heung-min!”
Dominic Solanke has said goodbye to Tottenham Hotspur fans.
Tottenham officially announced on the club’s website on Tuesday that they have signed Solanke on a contract until 2030. The total transfer fee for Solanke is reportedly £65 million (approx. KRW 132 billion). This is a base transfer fee of £55 million, plus an option of £10 million. It’s a club record for both the total amount and the base transfer fee. It’s also Bournemouth’s highest transfer revenue ever.
Bournemouth chief executive Neil Brake said: “It’s no surprise that a club of Tottenham’s caliber has shown an interest in Solanke. When we brought him to Bournemouth five years ago, we knew this was going to happen at some point. The transfer moved quickly. Throughout the process, Solanke remained professional. He’s been that way throughout his time at Bournemouth. We are delighted to have secured a record transfer fee. All of us at Bournemouth wish him all the best.”
“Tottenham is a club with the same ambitions as me. I chose Tottenham because they have great ambitions, they have a good manager, good players and I think my style of play fits in with theirs. I can’t wait to get started.”
“James Maddison played with me in the England national team. I know him well and he’s a really good friend. I’m familiar with him and I’m looking forward to meeting the other players and getting to know them. There are a lot of good players in the team and I’m looking forward to playing and competing with them. I hope to achieve great things with a good group of attackers. I am very ambitious as a player and I will give everything to score goals. I love to win. I want to achieve a lot together,” he concluded.
On his career. “When I look back on my career, it’s been full of twists and turns, and those experiences have made me who I am today. I wouldn’t change any of the choices I made.” As mentioned, Solanke’s career has been a roller coaster. Growing up at Chelsea, Solanke was recognized as the next generation of strikers for the Three Lions when he led his country to the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup title and won the Golden Ball.
He didn’t get his chance at Chelsea right away. At the time, the Chelsea front line included Diego Costa, Alvaro Morata, Radamel Falcao, and Michy Batshuayi. He went on loan to Chelsea satellite club Vitesse, where he scored seven goals in 25 games in the Dutch Eredivisie, but there was no place for him at Chelsea. In the summer of 2017, Solanke went to Liverpool. It was a free transfer. After joining Liverpool as a free agent, Solanke seemed to really take off under Jürgen Klopp’s tutelage, but he struggled to compete in the Premier League. In total, he made 27 appearances (6 starts) for Liverpool, scoring one goal.
After a string of unproven spells at Chelsea and Liverpool, he went to Bournemouth for a record transfer fee of €21.2 million. At Bournemouth, Solanke initially struggled. He went 10 games without a goal in his first six months, drawing criticism. He was on the verge of becoming one of those promising strikers who shined but ultimately flopped. In his first season at Bournemouth, Solanke scored just two goals in 32 games and the team was relegated.
In the English Championship (second division), Solanke did a 180-degree turnaround and became one of the best strikers in the Championship. During his time in the Championship, he scored 44 goals in 86 games. Aleksandr Mitrovic, the Robert Lewandowski of the Championship, had 43 goals in 44 games. In the 2020-21 season, he scored 15 goals and provided eight assists in 42 games in the English Championship (2nd Division). The following season, he scored a career-high 29 goals in 46 games. Solanke’s performance helped Bournemouth win promotion to the Premier League.
He showed that goals can work in the Premier League. In 2022-23, he scored six goals and provided seven assists in 33 league appearances. Last season, he had his best Premier League campaign of his career, scoring 19 goals and providing three assists in 38 appearances. Only Alexander Isaac, Cole Palmer, and Elling Holland have scored more goals than Solanke. Son Heung-min was also below Solanke with 17 goals, and he shared the Premier 토토사이트 League Player of the Year honor with Phil Foden. He was tied with Ollie Watkins, who led Aston Villa to the UEFA Champions League (UCL).
Tottenham, in need of a striker, made Solanke their number one target. They spent £65 million in transfer fees alone. He surpassed the previous number one, Tanguy Ndombele. From a failed prospect to a club record for Tottenham, a Premier League Big Six club. Ndombele, Michy Batshuayi, Brennan Johnson, Christian Romero, James Maddison, Davinson Sanchez, Archie Gray, Pedro Foro, and Micky van der Vaart have all played under Solanke.
Solanke added: “I’m really happy to have gone through the twists and turns and I want to continue my good form at Tottenham. I’m a player who has always proved himself. I’ve improved with each game and I want to do even better next season. The players have welcomed me well. I will adapt to the new system. I will try to score goals, link up and play for Tottenham,” he said.
He will have to work with Son Heung-min Son Heung-min was the main man up front last season following Harry Kane’s move to Bayern Munich. Heung-Min Son was up front for most of the season due to poor form and injuries. He was at his best in the Premier League, scoring 17 goals and providing 10 assists, but he was more comfortable on the left side of the pitch and performed well there, so we needed a clear-cut striker up front.
That’s why Solanke was brought in. “Manager Enze Postecoglou is keen to add a new striker,” wrote Matt Law of the Telegraph. He wants to bring in a striker to utilize Son Heung-min on the left side.” Solanke’s arrival at Tottenham could be a good fit for Son Heung-min. The English publication The Athletic wrote: “Solanke is clever in his movement and pressing. He cuts off center-back passes and closely marks defensive midfielders. His ability to play in partnership is a big boost to Bournemouth’s secondary options. He will keep Heung-Min Son, Timo Werner and Brennan Johnson alive,” he said.
“He also moves well when he doesn’t have the ball. He will fit in well with Postecoglou’s high-pressing style of play. He’s a good creator of chances, doesn’t have a troublesome injury history and doesn’t break away much. Solanke will have a clear role at Tottenham. There is uncertainty, but the time is right for him to step up.”
TransferMarkt added: “He has said he wants to stay, but Solanke’s arrival could limit his playing time. Son Heung-min, who played up front for most of last season, will move to his familiar left side with Solanke’s arrival. Son, Brennan Johnson, and Kuluczewski will support Solanke on the flanks. He could be the perfect striker for Tottenham. Solanke, whose transfer fee surpassed Ndombele’s, will have to prove his worth by playing a crucial role in Tottenham’s quest to qualify for the UEFA Champions League.”
“Solanke finished fourth in the Premier League in both expected and actual goals last season. He was third in shots and sixth in touches in the opposition box. Despite his compliance, he was not a force for Tottenham overall. Solanke has shown on paper that he is a quality player and has proven that he can play for a top Premier League team. He could be the perfect signing for Postecoglou’s Tottenham.”
The expectations for Solanke are high and his determination is clear. When Tottenham and Leicester City meet in the opening game of the 2024-25 Premier League season, Solanke will be hoping to make an immediate impact.