Tottenham Hotspur head coach Roberto De Zerbi will have a number of big decisions to make about the squad in the summer transfer window, if he is to guide the team to relegation.
One of the players who could find themselves in a difficult position in the summer is club record signing Dominic Solanke, who joined from Bournemouth for £65m in the summer of 2024.
Through a combination of his performances and injury problems, the England international is yet to justify the staggering sum paid for his career nearly two years ago.
Solanke has scored three goals in 12 Premier League appearances so far this season for the Lilywhites, after returning with nine goals in 27 league appearances in the 2024/25 campaign.
The former Liverpool and Chelsea talent did poorly in front of goal last term, conceding nine goals at an xG of 10.97 and missing 12 ‘big chances’ in the top flight.
De Zerbi calls for Spurs to look for a central midfielder
Solanke hasn’t delivered enough quality or consistency to suggest he has what it takes to be a front-runner for goals going forward, which is why his place in the squad is in jeopardy ahead of the summer.
If the Europa League champions bring in a new number nine to come in and give more to the team in front of goal, the English Flop may have to assess his future and decide whether staying in North London is the best option for his career going forward.
According to Calcio Mercato, De Zerbi is looking to bring in a new midfielder to lead the line for his club Tottenham Hotspur in the 2026/27 campaign.
The report claims that the Italian coach is driving the club’s interest in a deal to sign Fiorentina winger Moise Kean to bolster his options at the end of the pitch.
It adds that Italian giants Milan are also keen on signing the Italian this summer, meaning there will be competition for his signature.
Calcio Mercato revealed that a fee of around £44m would be enough to tempt Fiorentina to cash in on the former Juventus star, and that Spurs could pay that price for De Zerbi’s key striker.
Why Kean would be a huge upgrade for Solanke at Spurs
If Tottenham can beat Milan to sign Kean in next summer’s transfer window, Solanke could find himself on the bench more often without leaving North London.
As mentioned above, the £65m signing has not provided much in the way of quality in front of goal during his time with Spurs, failing to hit double figures in the Premier League so far.
A return of 12 league goals in almost two seasons, albeit one interrupted by injury, is nothing short of impressive, especially when compared to Kean’s form at Fiorentina.
Since the start of the 2024/25 campaign, the Italian defender has scored 27 goals in Serie A, with nine goals in all competitions so far this season.
The 26-year-old, who should be in his prime, has scored 34 goals in all competitions for Fiorentina since leaving Juventus in 2024, while Solanke has scored 22 goals in the same period.
|
24/25 league season |
Kean |
All of us |
|---|---|---|
|
Appearance |
32 |
27 |
|
xG |
19.32 |
10.97 |
|
Goals |
19 |
9 |
|
It helps |
3 |
3 |
|
Dribbles completed per game |
1.4 |
0.6 |
|
Dribble success rate |
47% |
35% |
Last season, Kean outperformed Solanke in front of goal at league level, both playing in Europe’s top leagues, as he scored another ten goals in five of his appearances.
Comparing their form this season is unfair, as the Spurs striker has only played 12 games, but their result in the 2024/25 campaign suggests the Italian ace will come in as the best option for De Zerbi up front.
Given his goal return in recent seasons, Kean looks to be a better striker than Solanke and could arrive in North London as the Italian coach’s worst goalscorer.
That is why the club should aim to sign the manager’s designated goal ahead of Milan to fuel the club’s fire for the 2026/27 campaign.
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