Alasdair Gold: Tottenham star’s poor summer call leaves Thomas Frank desperate

John Wenham feels Dominic Solanke should have repaired his ankle issue over the summer

Tottenham’s forward line has looked a bit stretched in recent weeks. They were held to three successive draws in all competitions before Thomas Frank’s side bounced back to winning ways at Leeds United before the October international break.

Solanke underwent a minor ankle surgery at the start of this month. Frank had revealed a couple of weeks ago that the 28-year-old was getting closer to a return, which was a positive update. However, the ankle issue was persistently bothering him, and the player, in discussion with the boss and the medical department, decided to correct the problem for good.

However, reputable Spurs podcast Lilywhite Rose owner John Wenham feels that Solanke’s absence could have been curtailed had he undergone surgery for the recurring ankle injury over the summer.

“Had Solanke had surgery during preseason, maybe he’d be back now,” John Wenham exclusively told Tottenham News.

“It’s just frustrating. I’m not a physio, maybe it’s right that you try everything to avoid the surgery, and as a last resort, that’s what happens. But it’s frustrating because we need him desperately.

“He cost a lot of money last year and scored a lot of goals against all the big teams. Whatever people say, for me, he’s comfortably our best striker and a very good striker at that.”

Solanke should be back soon

Frank has been cautiously optimistic about Solanke’s return, describing the procedure as minor and claiming that the striker should be back soon. The Dane explained that the medical department did everything possible to avoid the operation, but sometimes such things are unavoidable.

In hindsight, we can easily say that the England international should have gone under the knife over the summer itself to treat his persistent ankle issue. At the end of the day, it is the player who understands his body and movements the best, so Solanke cannot be blamed here for apparently delaying his surgery.

Clearly, a surgery over the summer would have helped the striker to overcome his ankle issue and start the 2025/26 season under the new gaffer smoothly. However, some things cannot be controlled and happens as per the requirement.