Dominic Solanke absence explained as Tottenham issue injury update
Dominic Solanke was absent for both friendly games against Wycombe and Luton on Saturday.
Tottenham kicked off the day with a 2-2 draw against Wycombe Wanderers at Hotspur Way (26 July) before setting off on a 30-mile trip across to Kenilworth Road to face Luton.
Frank was expected to give all his senior players minutes, but Rodrigo Bentancur was pulled out of the first game at the last minute due to illness and was duly replaced by George Abbott.
As team news rolled in for Luton, another notable absentee was revealed in Solanke, who was not named in either squad.
The reason for the striker’s absence has now been explained.
Solanke misses out due to minor ankle injury
When Tottenham released the team news for Luton, fans became alarmed upon quickly noticing Solanke’s absence.
Richarlison was given expected match minutes in the first game, and with no prior announcement regarding the England international, the Lilywhites were fully expecting him to lead the line against the Hatters.
However, Tottenham officially posted an explanation on X shortly after announcing the team news, stating that Solanke was left out of both fixtures as a precaution due to a minor ankle injury.
Mathys Tel, who was named in the starting XI, will likely replace the 27-year-old up front, with Mohammed Kudus set to play behind him as a second striker.
Solanke injury sends warning to Spurs
While Tottenham were quick to point out that Solanke’s absence is just precautionary, it still serves as a timely warning to the Lilywhites that they should be looking to sign a striker this summer.
Spurs were far too reliant on the former Bournemouth man last season, and there was a notable drop-off in performances when he was absent.
Richarlison suffered his own fitness issues, making just four Premier League starts in the previous campaign, while Tel and Son Heung-min struggled to adapt to the centre-forward role.
Therefore, it would be wise to bring in another player, such as Armaud Kaliumendo or Yoane Wissa, to offer both competition and, more importantly, adequate cover for Solanke.
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