Dominic Solanke’s situation at Tottenham Hotspur has turned into one of the strangest storylines of the season. The England striker has barely been seen, barely been heard from, and barely contributed anything on the pitch in the 2025/26 campaign.
So far, he has played just three matches, all from the bench, and has not touched the field since his brief 12-minute appearance against Manchester City on August 23. For a player who was supposed to be an important part of the squad, the mystery around him keeps growing.
Back in late September, Tottenham announced that Solanke had undergone what they described as a minor ankle procedure. Thomas Frank called it a simple clean-up, nothing too serious, and that wording led supporters to believe he would be back within a short period of time.
A “minor” operation hardly sounded like something that would force a player out for months. Yet here Spurs are, deep into the season, and Solanke looks no closer to returning than he did when the announcement was made.
Every week, Frank offers a fresh update, and they all sound the same. Solanke is “a week or two away.” He is “close.” He is “training.” But supporters have been through too many injury sagas to take those words at face value.
They have watched a long list of players go down with small issues that turn into long, draining absences. It has happened repeatedly under different managers, and the squad continues to suffer from the same pattern. Naturally, many fans feared that Solanke’s situation would go down the same road and now it has.
Solanke has been practically invisible, recording only 31 minutes of Premier League football all season. That is all Tottenham have gotten from a striker they spent a club-record £65 million on just two summers ago.
His role in the Europa League win is something supporters appreciate, but outside of that memorable moment, the club has received very little return on their investment.
The problem becomes larger when considering the rest of the forward line. Richarlison has struggled on the pitch, Randal Kolo Muani has only recently shaken off a long spell of poor form and fitness, and Tottenham’s depth at No. 9 is already thin.
Solanke should be competing for starts, adding goals, and giving Spurs a reliable option at the top end of the pitch. Instead, he has disappeared completely, leaving the squad with a single functioning striker.
Fans now want real answers. If the procedure was minor, why is he still out? If he was close weeks ago, why has nothing changed?
How was he healthy enough to start the season after last year’s injury, only to break down again almost immediately? The situation makes no sense, and the lack of clarity only fuels more frustration.
What is clear is that Tottenham cannot continue to drift without addressing this issue. They need clarity, they need a plan, and they need Solanke back or at least a truthful explanation about what is happening behind the scenes.
At this rate, supporters are beginning to wonder whether they will see him again at all this season. For a team already short on attacking options, the ongoing silence around Solanke is becoming too big to ignore.
