Dominic Solanke’s England call-up is a classic case of being in the right place at the right time – and the same applied to interim manager Lee Carsley when he conducted a scouting mission on Tottenham’s striker at Old Trafford on Sunday.
Solanke’s late development, which kicked into full gear at Bournemouth last season and led to a £65m summer move to Spurs, has seen him called into England’s squad for the first time since winning his only full cap as a 15-minute substitute in a goalless draw against Brazil at Wembley in November 2017.
It is also deserved reward for the sheer persistence of a player tipped for great things from when he was part of the England Under-17 team that won the European Championship in 2014, scoring in the final against the Netherlands in a game eventually won 4-1 on penalties.
Solanke only played one game for Chelsea and a move to Liverpool in July 2017 did not work out as he scored only once 27 games, his opportunities limited by being behind the world-class trio of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino in then manager Jurgen Klopp’s pecking order.
He moved to Bournemouth for £19m in January 2019 and it was there that Solanke finally started to fulfil his potential, scoring 77 goals in 216 games, including 21 in 42 appearances last season.
Former Liverpool manager Klopp remained an admirer, however, saying before his side travelled to Bournemouth in January: “I’m so happy for Dom because when we signed him we were all so excited about the talent he had.
“He had so much potential, but it is Liverpool and we had other good strikers as well.
“Dom was probably not the most clinical yet, but the talent was obvious.”
The switch to Spurs has given the 27-year-old a bigger stage to showcase his qualities, but it was his display under the watchful gaze of Carsley in the 3-0 win at Manchester United that sealed his England inclusion.
Solanke did not just score Spurs’ third goal. He also gave a complete all-round display of the main striker’s art at a time when Carsley needs someone in that position.
Ivan Toney, who played at Euro 2024, has since decided to pursue his career in the Saudi Pro League with Al-Ahli and is out of the England squad for now.
The statistics show how Solanke combined tireless running and work with potency against United, the central figure around which players such as Brennan Johnson and Dejan Kulusevski revolved to such great effect.
At Old Trafford, Solanke ran 12kms, with only Kulusevski (13.2kms) and Rodrigo Bentancur (12.5kms) running greater distances. He made more sprints (24) than anyone other than Manchester United’s Alejandro Garnacho, who made 29.
He had joint most shots, with four, and had three shots on target, the highest in the game. He also contested the most duels, 11, winning five.
Allied to this, Solanke’s strength and mobility was a constant problem for United’s central defenders Matthijs de Ligt and Lisandro Martinez.
Solanke was selfless, giving Spurs an extra dimension as a more orthodox central striker able to hold the ball up, use his physical capabilities, and bring his colleagues into play. He looks a more natural fit for Spurs than the talented but less tactically disciplined Richarlison, who has been used in the role in the past.
No wonder Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou was delighted with his summer acquisition, and Carsley left Manchester convinced he should add Solanke to his England squad for the Nations League games at home to Greece and against Finland in Helsinki.
It almost seems the fortunes of Solanke and Toney have been intertwined, with the latter’s switch to Saudi Arabia leaving a gap – for now – for the Spurs striker with England. The pair were also both high on Postecoglou’s wanted list this summer.
The Spurs boss said: “We did look at Ivan Toney, but Dom was the one we wanted that fitted the profile at the time.”
Solanke suffered an early injury which gave him a false start at Spurs, but three goals in three games, and his outstanding all-round display at Old Trafford, justified Postecoglou’s faith and served to revive his England career.
Carsley has worked with Solanke in the junior England ranks and it is not just his ability that has impressed, but also his character.
“Dom’s a player I’m fully aware of, having worked with him in the past,” said Carsley.
“He did so well at Bournemouth and now he’s taken that form into Spurs. He’s got a lot of attributes that I really like, as well as being a really nice person.”
It remains to be seen how much of a part Solanke plays in England’s upcoming games but his selection – which many felt should have come sooner – completes a heart-warming tale of hard work and talent getting its reward.
