View: What Manor Solomon will bring to Tottenham under Ange Postecoglou
Manor Solomon could end up being the surprise of the summer for Tottenham fans.
On 11 July, Tottenham announced the signing of Solomon on a free transfer from Shakhtar Donetsk following his loan spell in the Premier League with Fulham last season.
Free signings often arrive with very little excitement or expectation due to the nature of the transfer, however this could play right into the winger’s hands.
Solomon now has the chance to surprise many in North London and exceed expectations when he pulls on a Spurs shirt next season, something that he is more than capable of doing.
At just 23 years of age, the dynamic forward has plenty of experience at the highest level. He made his professional debut at the age of 17 and has already lifted two league titles as well as a Ukranian Cup and Ukranian Super Cup with Shakthar.
In October 2020 he scored a decisive third goal in the Santiago Bernabéu as the Ukrainian side recorded a memorable 3-2 win over Real Madrid. His move to Craven Cottage and English football gave him a chance to showcase his skillset on a bigger stage and the stats suggest he grabbed this opportunity with both hands.
As per FBREF, Solomon found the back of the net on four occasions despite playing just over 500 minutes of Premier League football. This meant he scored 0.63 goals per 90, which placed him in the top one per cent of his positional peers in the competition.
An eye for goal isn’t the only quality the Israeli star possesses and a deeper dive into the stats suggests he will be key in Ange Postecoglou’s aggressive press.
He was in the top one per cent compared to his positional peers for tackles made (3.15 per 90), tackles made in the defensive third (1.89 per 90) and dribbles tackled (1.42 per 90). His number of tackles made in the defensive third is a particularly impressive stat as it demonstrates he is keen to track back which Postecoglou will appreciate.
Solomon also won a high amount of the tackles he attempted (1.89 per 90), which positioned him in the top three per cent of Premier League wingers and attacking midfielders.
Postecoglou will also be keen on his new addition’s ability to take on his man.
In his short time on the pitch for Fulham, he attempted 5.82 take-ons per 90, which saw him rank in the top seven per cent in regard to this particular statistic and 2.99 of those take-ons per 90 were successful, which placed him in the top four per cent.
If the forward can replicate the promise he demonstrated during his time with the Cottagers then Spurs fans might quickly fall in love with their new winger and the free transfer will look like the steal and surprise of the summer.
In other Tottenham news, another young forward within the club’s ranks could be set for a breakthrough season.