Tottenham striker Dominic Solanke has missed the last two games with an ankle injury
Dominic Solanke has not enjoyed a smooth start to his life at Tottenham Hotspur since arriving from Bournemouth earlier this summer.
The 26-year-old joined the Lilywhites in a record-breaking £65m deal from Bournemouth, hoping to replace the Harry Kane-shaped void in Ange Postecoglou’s squad. He netted 19 goals and registered three assists in 38 Premier League appearances in the 2023/24 season, catching the eye with his goalscoring, work rate, link-up play and durability.
Dominic Solanke made his Tottenham debut in a 1-1 draw with newly promoted Leicester City at the King Power Stadium on matchweek 1. However, the centre-forward has missed the following games against Everton and Newcastle United due to an ankle injury.
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Dr Rajpal Brar, a physical therapist and sports scientist, has now given us an update on Solanke’s injury condition. He has confirmed that the Englishman’s recovery from an ankle injury is going well, with the striker likely to return in time for the highly anticipated North London Derby against Arsenal on 15 September following the international break.
“It sounds like he is quite close to returning from his ankle setback and based on what Ange said, the medical team was being conservative with him to make sure he’s ready to go for some big matches following the international break,” Dr Rajpal Brar exclusively told Tottenham News.
“Although he was injury free last season, any player can pick up a knock regardless of injury history.
“Those contact injuries especially to the foot and ankle can take some time to get back from.
“I’d expect him to be back in contention on the other side of the international break.”
Spurs’ medical team has focused on a meticulous rehabilitation plan to ensure that Solanke is ready to make an impact when the season resumes. The return of the club transfer record signing will be a major boost for Ange Postecoglou, who hopes to see the centre-forward replicate his solid form from last season.
While Solanke didn’t score against Leicester on his official Spurs debut, he showed some good things on and off the ball. He offered a presence up top that allowed the likes of James Maddison and Son Heung-min to thrive in half-spaces and bring more guile in the final third.
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An injury so early in his new adventure at N17 was not the start Solanke would have hoped for, but the positive news is he is on his way back to fitness. Should he recover from the ankle injury in time, it will be interesting to see if our gaffer throws Solanke right into the mix of things in the North London Derby or takes a safety-first approach of bringing him off the bench.
