Dominic Solanke has spoken candidly about his difficult spell on the sidelines as he continues to recover from a persistent ankle injury. The Tottenham striker has been limited to just three competitive appearances this season after picking up the problem in pre-season, with his last outing coming as a substitute in the 2-0 win over Manchester City in August.<\/p>\n
Tottenham feeling Solanke\u2019s absence
\nSpurs have been without their main striker while still trying to settle under Thomas Frank. They return to Premier League action on Sunday with a North London Derby at the Emirates, before facing Paris Saint-Germain in a Champions League Super Cup rematch next week.<\/p>\n
The team sits fifth after 11 league games but has faced criticism for their poor home form. Only Wolves have a worse record at home, despite Spurs boasting the best away form this season. They have scored 19 league goals, with Richarlison leading the charts on four\u2014two of which came on the opening weekend.<\/p>\n
Understanding the injury setback
\nSolanke will miss the upcoming fixtures against Arsenal and PSG, despite earlier suggestions from Frank that the injury was minor. The striker later underwent a \u201csmall procedure\u201d and is now working his way back.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been very tough,\u201d Solanke told The Athletic. \u201cAt first, I didn\u2019t think I\u2019d be out long, but we didn\u2019t fully grasp how serious the injury was. I kept trying to return quickly but it wasn\u2019t happening, so surgery became necessary. Since then, I\u2019ve just been focused on getting back fit.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not setting a return date because I\u2019ve been saying, \u2018I\u2019ll be back soon\u2019 for months. I\u2019m taking things day by day, but hopefully it won\u2019t be too much longer.\u201d<\/p>\n
He is one of several attacking players currently sidelined, with James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski both recovering from knee injuries, while Randal Kolo Muani is out with a fractured jaw.<\/p>\n
Settling under Thomas Frank
\nSolanke has barely worked with Frank due to his injury but praised the manager\u2019s impact. \u201cI haven\u2019t spent much time with him yet, but he\u2019s a fantastic man-manager. All the players enjoy having him around. He talks to everyone, holds meetings every day, and the whole coaching staff gets along really well. It\u2019s a great environment.\u201d<\/p>\n
He added that the squad will be stronger once the injured players return, and hopes the team can achieve big things this season.<\/p>\n
Why he joined Spurs
\nSolanke, who arrived from Bournemouth in 2024, said his ambition was to win trophies. He played a key role in ending Tottenham\u2019s 17-year wait for silverware by helping them lift the Europa League earlier this year.<\/p>\n
He recalled the moment he realised they had beaten Manchester United in the final: \u201cThey had a goal kick, and I asked the referee what was happening. He said, \u2018It\u2019s done.\u2019 When Onana kicked it, I thought, \u2018Wow, we\u2019ve actually done it.\u2019 I was so happy, especially for Sonny, who had been at the club for so long. Then I went to celebrate with my family. It was the best feeling of my life.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tough schedule ahead
\nSpurs face a demanding run to end the year, with matches against Arsenal, PSG, Fulham, Newcastle, Brentford, Slavia Prague, Nottingham Forest, Liverpool and Crystal Palace as they attempt to close out 2025 on a strong note.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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