Tottenham Hotspur will be without new signing Dominic Solanke for their Premier League clash against Everton on Saturday.
The striker joined Spurs from AFC Bournemouth for £65 million last week but sustained an ankle injury during the opening fixture against Leicester City.
Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou confirmed the news in his pre-match press conference, stating that Solanke’s injury has flared up since the Leicester game.
“Dom picked up a knock in the last game, so he got through the game, but it flared up the day after, so he’ll miss tomorrow,” Postecoglou said (via the club website).
Solanke is not the only Tottenham player unavailable for the Everton match. Rodrigo Bentancur is also out due to a concussion from the Leicester game.
Postecoglou emphasised the club’s cautious approach to head injuries, stating, “We respect concussion protocols, and (with) any head injury, we’ll always be a little more conservative.”
Despite the absences of Solanke and Bentancur, Tottenham have other options available. Yves Bissouma is now back from suspension and will be eligible to play.
Pedro Porro was also forced off in the Leicester game but has recovered and will be fit for Saturday’s match.
New signing Wilson Odobert is another option for Postecoglou after getting up to speed over the week.
Richarlison gets one more chance to prove himself
Richarlison has been an enigma since switching Goodison Park for North London. The 27-year-old Brazilian forward joined Spurs from Everton in 2022 for a club-record fee of £60 million but has struggled.
Richarlison has scored a measly 15 goals in 66 appearances for Tottenham and found himself on the bench for most of last season due to his poor performances. A mid-season resurgence did not last long, and he regressed to the mean.
However, with Solanke out, Richarlison has a chance to prove his mettle against his former club, and he must grab this opportunity with both hands.
The former Watford striker must take his chances and show he can still play an important role at this football club.