Dominic Solanke on ‘complicated’ time away at Tottenham and sets sights on major objective

Tottenham striker Dominic Solanke has set his sights on both World Cup selection and Champions League success after marking his first start in eight months with a goal.

The 28-year-old had not started since Spurs’ final match of last season against Brighton, having struggled with an ankle issue that required minor surgery and injections before finally improving. On Tuesday night, Solanke returned to the starting XI and scored the second goal in Tottenham’s 2-0 win over Borussia Dortmund. Wilson Odobert’s low cross ricocheted off Solanke’s right foot, left foot, and then right foot again before crossing the line.

“It wasn’t the cleanest finish, but I got to watch it in slow motion which was nice!” he joked. “I’m just thrilled to be back on the pitch. Getting my first start since last season was a great feeling, but the win was the most important thing. Hopefully, we can build on that now.”

Reflecting on the past eight months, Solanke described a challenging period as his ankle problems came and went before finally settling in recent weeks.

“It’s been one of the toughest periods of my life. It was really complicated and difficult, but I’m just happy to be back and hope to stay fit for the rest of the season,” he admitted. “I wouldn’t say it reached the point where I’d be out for the entire season, but there were times when I wasn’t sure when I’d return. Not having that clarity was the hardest part, so it’s nice to have that behind me and to be back playing now.”