After Sunday’s defeat at Sunderland, new Tottenham Hotspur manager Roberto De Zerbi may be asking the same question as his predecessors – why, oh why, did Daniel Levy sell Harry Kane?
Losing the captain of England was probably something that could not be avoided considering that he had a year left in his contract at the time, and there is no question that the thing that worried him the most was the team’s plan to replace him.
Indeed, it took 12 months for a direct midfielder to be signed, despite Dominic Solanke’s club record signing since the hurling, with the injury-hit England international scoring just six goals in 2025/26.
As it was also seen at the Stadium of Light, the 28-year-old will not be reliable as a starting striker for Spurs. Something has to change.
Solanke is beginning to resemble another James Maddison at Spurs
For the most part, Solanke’s quality was in doubt, with the former Bournemouth man arriving after scoring 19 Premier League goals in his final season on the south coast.
An overall record in north London of 22 goals in 62 games, almost one in three, is not a disaster, and the biggest concern has been keeping him fit and available for much of the last two years.
He certainly fits into James Maddison’s category in that regard, the kind of talent that would have been able to progress, had it not been for repeated injuries.
Like Solanke, when Maddison plays, he is part of this side at his best, having collected 37 goals and assists in 75 games since signing for Leicester City.
And yet, the playmaker hasn’t featured since the days of Ange Postecoglou, when he missed the Europa League final, sadly showing his disloyalty to the club in its current predicament.
Solanke is in that camp too, and his return to the game has not made a dramatic difference, especially registering only 18 touches of the ball at the Stadium of Light.
Considering that Spurs only created a ‘big chance’ on their own at the weekend, De Zerbi’s attacking setup was ineffective, confirming that a new solution may now be needed.
De Zerbi could yet replace Solanke with £73m Spurs star
If there could have been any positives from Wearside’s defeat, it might have been the two-man performance of the side, with Randal Kolo Muani looking brilliant on the right.
New Richarlison: De Zerbi must offload Spurs star who made 4 passes all game
Tottenham’s relegation fears have increased following defeat to Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.
The Frenchman came close to earning his side a penalty in the first half, while Richarlison, on the other hand, was his usual self, putting himself in promising opportunities, but he managed to deflect straight at Robin Roefs.
Having those two established strikers making driving runs inside from a wide role looked like a sensible option, although Solanke failed to pull things together in midfield.
|
Solanke vs Sunderland |
|
|---|---|
|
Statistics |
Record |
|
Minutes |
90+ |
|
To touch |
18 |
|
Pass accuracy |
67% |
|
Key passes |
0 |
|
Success. dribbles |
0 |
|
Shots |
4 |
|
Great opportunities are not missed |
1 |
|
The ball is lost |
7 |
|
Ground duels won |
1/3 |
|
Aerial duels won |
2/3 |
With that in mind, one change that would please all teams would be the introduction of Xavi Simons in a new role as a false nine, with the Dutchman once again absent from the starting line-up.
And overlooked in Igor Tudor’s last game in charge, the 22-year-old has not found consistency in a Spurs shirt so far, despite enjoying his fine brace at home to Atletico Madrid recently.
Operating as a number ten that night, Simons showed he can be an effective link-up man, registering ‘key passes’ in what would be his best outing in north London to date.
The transition to life in the Premier League has been tough, and finding a consistent place in the side has been a constant problem, with the former RB Leipzig star flitting between the left-back role and the number ten spot.
He may not have the ability to function as a lone striker, but as a tricky number nine to coordinate play, Simons could thrive, having worked in that role a few times during his time at PSV Eindhoven, as well as at Paris Saint-Germain in the ranks.
In much the same way as Kane in his flamboyance, Simons taking out the full-backs could leave room for the developing Richarlison and Kolo Muani at the back, with the Netherlands star boasting the quality of combining the ball behind them both.
Solanke, by contrast, completed just four passes last week and lost the ball seven times in his 18 touches, not quite the dynamic, progressive striker that De Zerbi might need.
Simons – now worth £73m, according to the CIES Football Observatory – is in danger of joining the Englishman as the club’s most expensive transfer mistake, but a move to a new role could be a chance for a fresh start.
De Zerbi could ditch Solanke for ‘Defoe-esque’ Spurs star release
Dominic Solanke had an afternoon to forget for Spurs on Sunday.
