Tottenham Hotspur do not regret signing Dominic Solanke during the summer transfer window and boss Ange Postecoglou has put his squad through different training drills at Hotspur Way in a bid to get the best out of the striker ahead of facing Brentford on Saturday, sources have revealed.
Spurs splashed the cash to strike a deal for the one-cap England international last month, with him completing a £65million switch from Premier League rivals Bournemouth as the north Londoners went in search of bolstering their attack before attempting to end a lengthy wait for silverware.
Postecoglou pounced after seeing Solanke find the back of the net 21 times in all competitions last season, and he is desperate to see him rediscover his best form as Tottenham aim to bounce back from back-to-back domestic defeats at the hands of Newcastle United and arch-rivals Arsenal.
Tottenham Hotspur striker Dominic Solanke applauding the supporters
Tottenham are not fearful of Solanke potentially proving to be a flop after being unable to get off the mark since embarking on a fresh challenge, and there is confidence behind the scenes that he will use the upcoming fixtures to prove that his addition to the squad was money well spent.
The marksman was forced to contend with an ankle injury ruling him out of clashes against Everton and Newcastle during the early stages of his Spurs career, resulting in him having to settle for just 242 minutes of action as he aims to make a telling impact in his new surroundings.
Sources have been informed that Tottenham have been working on different patterns of play during training sessions as there is a belief that Solanke will be lethal in front of goal once he gets improved service, and there are no regrets over the decision to lure him away from Bournemouth.
The 27-year-old penned a £90,000-per-week contract when he headed back to the capital after a previous spell at Chelsea, with the agreement tying him down to his current employers until the summer of 2030, and he is determined to build on making two consecutive starts against Arsenal and Coventry City following his recovery from injury.
Tottenham are due to face Qarabag, Manchester United and Ferencvaros after taking on Brentford this weekend, and sources have learned that the run of fixtures has been pinpointed as an ideal opportunity for him to build confidence and relieve some of the pressure on his shoulders.
Dominic Solanke has registered five shots over the course of his first two Premier League appearances of the season
Sources have been told that Postecoglou personally pushed for Tottenham to sign Solanke even though moves for the likes of Ivan Toney and Viktor Gyokeres were also considered, and the Greek-Australian tactician is adamant that he has the work rate needed to succeed in his style of play.
Even though Richarlison has remained with the capital club, despite gaining interest from the big-spending Saudi Pro League during the summer, Spurs prioritised bringing in a fresh option as they decided a more traditional centre forward was needed if they want to challenge for silverware this season.
Solanke started Tottenham’s Carabao Cup third round win over Coventry earlier this week because Postecoglou and other members of his coaching staff saw it as a presentable chance for him to build confidence, but there is an acceptance that he was an isolated figure and changes need to be made to how the team sets up.
Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe, Tottenham Hotspur chief Ange Postecoglou and Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag
Although the former Celtic chief is not under immediate pressure to save his job after only picking up four Premier League points this term, there is an awareness that he needs the ex-Liverpool man’s arrival to pay off as he was a heavy investment and seen by chairman Daniel Levy as an important piece of the puzzle.
While Solanke is on course to retain a starting berth when Tottenham face Brentford in a London derby this weekend, recently revealed that fellow summer recruit Lucas Bergvall is also pushing for more extensive game time after being involved from the start against Coventry.
